A Moment of Clarity
by LunarFortitude
Summary: Riven has been living with the guilt of her war crimes for months, but news of renewed conflict between Noxus and Ionia hardens her resolve to set things right. After a chance encounter with Lux, the two of them spiral into a whirlwind of conflict, revolution, and redemption. Written entirely in first person from Riven's perspective.
1. The Exile

**A/N This story is written using the old League Lore, for obvious reasons. Most importantly, the complete non-existence of the new lore. Please enjoy and leave a review!**

* * *

Life in the Institute of War was a lot like life in the military: about 95% a combination of training or doing nothing, and 5% hectic spurts of intense violence. At least in the army, though, you knew when you were going to fight. Here at the Institute of War, you could be plucked out of anywhere without warning if you were summoned for a match. After several months of living here, I still wasn't quite used to that.

I sat up in my bed, rubbing at my eyes. _At least they usually don't have matches at night_ , I thought idly. A glance through the window confirmed what my body already knew, it was still very early in the morning. The sun hadn't even begun to rise yet, but I could tell it was close. Years of being the posterboy for the Noxian military really sets your routine in stone, apparently. Not that there was anything to do once I got up.

With an explosive sigh, I flopped back down on my back and closed my eyes again.

 _No dreams today, at least._

That relieved me, maybe it finally meant the terrible sights plaguing me for months would be leaving me soon. The images of burning bodies, the stench of death all around me as Noxian and Ionian alike died in agony.

I shook my head abruptly to clear the images; dwelling on the past wasn't going to make it go away. Despite my best efforts, however, I couldn't quite stop the recollections. I never could, completely. I got up mechanically, and walked over to the basin under the mirror and splashed some water in my face. The sudden stimulation sharpened my mind, and the last vestiges of sleep drained out of me. Opening my eyes, I glared into the mirror. My own crimson eyes glared right back, contrasting sharply with the white hair still loosely pulled up at the back of my head.

 _Get a grip._ I told myself. _You aren't there anymore, you're not even a Noxian anymore. You can't do anything to change what happened that day. And nothing to bring back the people I murdered or the comrades that burned._

I leaned my head against the mirror, and fell into memory once more.

* * *

I could see it clearly now, of course. The so called "great war" of Noxus, sending its army to conquer the bordering provinces of Ionia. There was nothing _great_ about any of it. They had hardly had any appreciable military, and barely put up a resistance. Yet I still cut them down dispassionately, following my orders to the letter. Men, women, anyone who dared resist the "might" of the Noxian war machine.

Now I knew that the strength I had thought I had possessed was nothing of the sort. There was no strength in anything that happened during that massacre. And it all ended just as horribly: with the complete destruction of everyone in my command in a rain of chemical death. I had thoroughly embraced the Noxian ideals, which made the blow all the more painful. "Strength is all that matters." Simple, yet undeniably eloquent. Yet Noxus betrayed me. Betrayed all of us there when they bombarded friend and foe alike, burning everyone. Where was the strength in that? That was cowardice, and it was abandonment. The city I had devoted my entire life to, threw me aside without a second thought. All the years I devoted to training, all the lives I took, all of it for a farce.

Noxus had gone astray; I knew it then with certainty as I witnessed the carnage around me. They are no longer lead by the strong. The Noxus I once served so proudly, that I had honed my real strength for before the Ionian invasion, was diseased. I had had doubts before, yet now I knew. I had wanted to believe our conquest was glorious and righteous. Victory through true strength is honorable, after all. I convinced myself that this _was_ strength, that I was leading the Noxian armies to glorious victory, not massacring a fleeing resistance, not killing innocents.

The day after I had escaped the bombardment, I returned to survey the carnage. I couldn't shake the feeling that none of it had been real. It couldn't have been. Yet there it was: thousands of dead and mutilated bodies. No survivors.

I was lost. My city abandoned me, and abandoned the ideal I had clung to my entire life as I clawed my way out of the gutter. I resolved then to cut all ties with the monster I had been ignoring.

With one thought in mind, I walked towards a large boulder at the edge of the destruction.

 _I must atone._

With a swift motion, I drew my sword. It was a massive weapon, imbued with sorcery and heavier than a tower shield. Without even a glance at it, I smashed it against the stone. There was a sound like a thunderbolt, and the blade shattered, exploding into fragments. Turning away, I strode numbly from the scene.

 _I must once more find strength. Find the true spirit of Noxus, if it still exists in this land._

I stopped, and surveyed the dead one final time.

 _And, I must find redemption._

* * *

A shaft of light slipped through the window beside me, bringing me back to the present. It was time to begin my training. These days I wasn't even sure what I was training for, but I supposed that my habits were so deeply engrained in me I wouldn't have been able to stop even if I'd wanted to. As it was, the only times I could fully distract myself from intrusive memories was when I was practicing with my blade. I strode over to my dresser and quickly donned my usual attire, just some simple but durable cloth wrappings and tough pants. Then I picked up my blade, propped it on my shoulder and walked out of the door.

This early in the morning, the independent champion's wing of the dormitories was quite empty. That was fine by me, I preferred solitude anyway. I quietly strode through the halls, across a courtyard, and into the main building. Here, I knew, there were training rooms for any champion to use. They weren't very elaborate, but they provided a place in which I would not be disturbed. For me, that was enough.

The training room was spacious and circular, with a tall ceiling and numerous training dummies already setup for practice. As I stepped in and closed the door behind me I exhaled long and deep, letting all thoughts flow out of me until there were no distractions in me. Once I had achieved an appropriate level of focus, I readied my shattered sword and began the first part of my standard regime. It was mind numbing, tiring work, but that was what I needed.

I didn't take any breaks that morning, but rather kept up an intense pace that left me exhausted after only an hour had passed. Panting, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. As I'd hoped, training had made me feel at least marginally better. My previous depression had receded into something resembling a sense of calm. Happiness was a stranger to me these days, but this was closer to the norm for me now. Every day I trained my body and mind out of pure habit, every day I yearned for direction in my life. I was an exile from Noxus, and though I sought atonement for my crimes I knew the Ionians would never forgive me for the terrors I wrought upon their land. I had nowhere to go, and nothing to do but live my life day by day.

I was too tired to continue training at the moment, and with nothing better to do I decided to eat something in the main hall. Normally I planned my schedule around when few others were present, but due to my decision to cut training short today I found myself walking into the hall at just about the primetime for breakfast. Upon seeing the hubbub around the entrance, I briefly considered just leaving and coming back later. My stomach won out, however, and so I decided press on.

I managed to slip relatively unnoticed through the conversing crowd of summoners and champions to grab some fruit, and had just started making my way to a small table at the corner of the room when my attention was drawn to a growing crowd of people gathered around the newsstand. I usually didn't pay attention to the goings on of Valoran these days, but something about the scene made me curious. So I put down my belongings at my usual corner table and walked quickly to the kiosk, acutely aware of the stares I was beginning to draw.

 _Do they all have to gawk at me like that? You'd think they'd never seen me before. It's not_ that _unusual for me to be here._

Despite my silent protests, however, the stares continued to track me across the room. I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable, so I grabbed a newspaper quickly and made my way back to my seat. Fortunately, no one spoke up as I passed, and I made it back to my belongings without incident.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Dealing with other champions and the summoners wasn't something I took any pleasure in. I was rarely in the mood to speak to anyone, and my isolationism had quickly alienated me. Not that I minded, I had lost too many comrades to ever want to try to make anything more than superficial connections with anyone anyway. And even if I had been interested in meeting people, an exile with my past would have been scorned without second thought.

 _That was probably what all the stares were about,_ I considered dully, _people are just wondering what a mass murderer is doing, showing her face around everyone._

I forced myself to stop, self-loathing wasn't going to make anything better. To distract myself from my bitter thoughts, I glanced down at the newspaper I was still holding.

My blood froze as I read the headline.

 **Ionian village burns under renewed Noxian aggression.**

I felt hopelessness well up inside me. Things were just getting worse, Noxus was falling further and further from the ideals I had proudly followed and now more Ionian innocents were dying. I rested my head on the table, unable even to maintain my normal non-expression. I sat like that for several minutes, unmoving, mourning my inability to do anything.

Anger began rapidly replacing my initial depression, along with a feeling unfamiliar due to its long absence: Resolve. I would not let this happen. This time, I would make things right. Scanning the article quickly, it was without surprise I learned that the head of Noxian high command, Swain, had orchestrated what he apparently called the "removal of rebel forces" that had been "preparing to strike at Noxus."

I knew Swain to be a despicable man. Moreover, he was here at the league. This was an opportunity. I picked up my sword and made to stand up, fully intending to kill the man as soon as I laid eyes on him. My progress was stopped, however, by a voice beside me.

"Riven, isn't it? I almost never see you in here."

It was a girl's voice, and I was tempted to just ignore it. However, even I maintained the common decency of responding when someone addressed me directly. So it was with a suppressed sigh of impatience that I turned to face my unwelcome guest.

"Yes, do you need something?"

She was young, armored and obviously a mage of some sort. I think I remembered that her name was Lux, though what business a Demacian could possibly have with me I didn't know.

She frowned a little at my dismissive response.

"I just wanted to talk to you, I haven't seen you around much before and I make it a point to get to know all the champions I can. May I sit?"

This time she flashed a smile. Her carefree attitude caught me a bit off guard, and despite my newfound resolve to find and kill Swain and anyone else that had condoned the most recent attack on Ionia I couldn't bring myself to send her packing immediately. As antisocial as I was, I wasn't that rude. Swain could wait for a few moments.

So it was with another sigh that I sat back down and gestured at the seat across from me. Lux hopped into it instantly, with an agility that surprised me. She then proceeded to lean across the table, prop her head on her arms and scrutinize me.

"Well?" I asked curtly.

Her stare was somewhat disconcerting; I felt like it was piercing through me and fought the urge to look away.

"Ah sorry! I've been told I space out sometimes." She giggled a bit and her face returned to its previous cheery expression.

"Anyway, I've been meaning to talk to you for a while but you're never around. I'd like to know more about you. I've talked to everyone here at least once, even Cho'gath. Except for you."

"You've spoken with Cho'gath?" I asked before I could stop myself. That monster was terrifying, and despite my desire to end the conversation and get going I was morbidly fascinated. Apparently, this teenage girl had more to her than first seemed.

"Yes, and he's quite well spoken, actually." She waved a hand as if brushing my question aside. "I can tell you about that some other time, if you'd like. Anyway, would you mind telling me a bit about yourself? I've heard interesting rumors, but with rumors being worth about one gold for a wagon full I'd rather have a conversation with you. "

She emphasized her last point by pointing a finger at me, which came so close to my face that I instinctively leaned away.

 _What a forceful and direct person._ I thought. _Going along with her seems like the fastest way to end this conversation though, it doesn't seem like she'll take no for an answer._

"Fine, I'll speak with you for a little. Then I have to go, I'm in a hurry, alright?"

She nodded.

"Very well. I'm an ex-Noxian, I fought in the Ionian wars, and now I'm a champion in the League." I got up and turned away. "Now, if you'll excuse-."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me down, looking annoyed. "What kind of conversation was that?"

"You spoke, and I answered. I have fulfilled my obligation."

"Don't be so literal!" Lux looked at me reproachfully. "Come on, talk with me for a little. It won't kill you."

 _Does she enjoy being annoying?_ I wondered. _At least, she's quite good at it._

"Fine." I continued, trying to think of what to tell her. I decided not to hide anything, it's not like any of it was secret.

"I was born a Noxian, and joined the military at a young age. I fought many battles and rose in rank until the Noxian command gave me this sword."

I held it up briefly, and Lux examined it.

"To make a long story short, I blindly followed orders that instructed me to kill many innocent people in the Ionian war. Then, when my unit was surrounded by the enemy, instead of assisting us the Noxian commanders ordered chemical bombardment on our position. I was the only survivor."

I was speaking dispassionately, as if recounting the events of a stranger. But I felt the familiar hurt in my chest as I went on.

"Noxus betrayed us. Though really that had happened long before, when they started ordering us to kill civilians. But still, I followed my orders, so I'm as much a monster as the ones who commanded."

My voice began to waver, just a little bit. I got it under control quickly, and Lux made no reaction. She was still staring at me intently.

"After realizing this, and realizing that the Noxus whose ideals I had followed my whole life didn't exist anymore, I shattered my sword and became an exile. Now, I seek atonement for those actions."

Lux looked at my sword, now on the table, and then back at me. "Really? You don't look like a bad person to me."

I laughed a little at that. It was a bitter laugh, but still the first one I'd voiced in recent memory. The sound felt unnatural coming from me.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but what I said was true." I paused, and then voiced aloud my thoughts before I could stop myself. "I thought you'd be more judgmental, I just admitted taking part in the Ionian massacres."

"Well..." She appeared to choose her words with care, this time. "Look, I'm not going to say what you did wasn't bad. With that said, the Noxian military executes those who disobey orders, or even those who show reluctance to follow them. And I can see on your face how much you regret it."

"What do you mean?" I asked, for I hadn't been aware of letting slip any meaningful expressions. I wasn't going to show weakness to a Demacian, even now. Even as my chest tightened once more in the renewed recollection.

Lux's expression grew soft, and she just pointed at my face. Confused, I reached up with my hand, it came away wet. With a shock I realized I was crying, I hadn't even noticed. I quickly wiped my face clean and blinked a few times, ashamed of myself.

"It takes strength to admit when you're wrong Riven, and I can see your conviction." Lux continued, moving to meet my gaze even as I tried to turn away. "You aren't the monster you think you are."

 _I'm being lectured about strength by a Demacian._ I thought dully. _Not that I can talk, after what I've done in the name of strength._

I exhaled long and slowly. "Look, Lux, I appreciate you saying that." What surprised me was that I actually did. "But I can never fully redeem myself. Not after what I've done."

"Maybe not, but the fact that your trying anyway says a lot." She grinned, seemingly oblivious to the weight of the conversation. "You may surprise yourself."

I raised my eyebrows a bit. "You're awfully sure of yourself." She just kept grinning, and I sighed yet again. "Well, I have to be going now."

"Where could you possibly be in such a hurry to go this early in the day?"

I hesitated, but something made me want to confide in her despite my reservations. It was probably because I'd been alone for so long.

"I'm going to kill Swain." I finally said.

She stared at me blankly for a moment, and then nodded. "I don't blame you for wanting to, especially after the news today. But you know league champions are forbidden from attacking each other inside the Institute, right?"

"So? I should have done this a long time ago. That man is evil; he started the corruption of Noxus when he became a part of High Command, and now he's back to killing innocent people. We can't wait for the Institute to act. Even if they're going to do something, which I doubt they will anytime soon, it will be too late. I cannot allow Ionia to suffer any more, just as I cannot stand by and watch as Noxus decays."

I was done waiting. What had I been doing these past months? Wallowing in self-pity? It was time to act.

"I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it." Lux lowered her voice, though no one was nearby. "But you can't just walk over to the Noxian wing and stab him. What about all the other Noxians? Or for that matter, the power inhibitors in the Institute?"

"Ah…" I'd completely forgotten about the inhibitors. My own abilities were vastly reduced inside these halls.

"And moreover," she continued, "even if you _did_ kill him, would that change anything? He's hand-picked his High Command, someone just as bad would take his place."

"Why are you so against this? Don't Demacians hate Noxians anyway?" I snapped back. But it was reflexive; I knew she was speaking sense. But my urge to do something was just getting stronger, and I was frustrated at her lack of helpfulness. "I don't suppose you have any bright ideas."

She giggled at that.

"What?" I growled. She was starting to make me mad, didn't she ever take anything seriously?

"Bright ideas? Come on Riven, I'm a _light_ mage!" She laughed again at her pun.

I groaned and put my head back on the table.

 _I can't believe this girl,_ I thought, s _he's completely crazy._

"Alright, look." Lux said, her mirth apparently having subsided. "You're on the right track, but you aren't thinking big enough."

"What're you talking about? And why are you helping me anyway? We just met 5 minutes ago."

"Because I've taken a liking to you. But more importantly, because you're absolutely right." Her expression grew serious for the first time. "We have to do something, and we can't wait for the Institute to step in. They're too scared of starting another rune war to do anything."

"Well, didn't you just say killing Swain won't help anything?" I asked.

"I did. What Noxus needs isn't a leadership change. It's a revolution. And you-" she pointed at me again "are going to lead it."

I stared at her blankly for several seconds.

"You're insane." I concluded "Absolutely insane. There's no way that would work. You need people for a revolution. And _me_ lead it? I'm not even a Noxian!"

I exclaimed the last part a bit louder than I'd meant to, and lowered my voice before I continued. "It's impossible."

"I admit it will be difficult, but what other choice is there? Anyway, I have a feeling more people feel like you do than you believe." She winked knowingly, "I think people would follow you. Given your history with Noxus, you'd have a lot of pull. And what better way to redeem yourself than to overthrow the government that started the war with Ionia?"

She really did have it all planned out, I was a little impressed despite myself.

"And then what? Because if you expect me to lead this 'newly reformed' Noxus, you're out of luck. I'm not a leader."

"We can cross that bridge if we get that far. Don't worry, I'll be here to help! I want a reformed Noxus as much as you."

She paused, and then gave me that same serious look again "This _cannot_ go on."

"How do I know I can trust you? You're being awfully helpful for a Demacian."

"That's rude." She pouted, "But I guess you'll have to take my word for it, since I can't prove to you I'm sincere. What other motives could I have? I just want to stop innocent people from dying, and my government doesn't have the balls to do anything about it either."

Her vehement tone took me by surprise. "I thought you'd be more patriotic, aren't you in the military?" I asked.

"I was _born_ into it, as was my brother. Conscripted at the age of 12, more or less. I was made into an elite, but really I'm just supposed to do what I'm told." She shrugged, "Which I do, unless I disagree with what I'm told to do. I do what I think is the right thing. You'll just have to take my word for it."

I considered her long and carefully, and the background noise of the main hall filled my ears once more. Champions and summoners chatted, argued and laughed behind us as Lux and I gazed at each other in silence.

Finally, I answered. "I'll consider it."

She beamed at me. "Bright decision! I'll be in touch soon."

Without a backwards glance, she got up and walked over to the Demacian table. I watched her sit down next to Garen and start chatting, like she had just gotten back from a casual stroll across the room.

 _What,_ I wondered, _have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

 **A/N: Please write a review! I welcome feedback and would like to know what the readers think.**


	2. A Blade Reforged

I resumed training shortly after I finished eating, partly because of my abbreviated earlier session and partly as an exercise to clear my mind. I couldn't think straight, too many jumbled thoughts raced around my head. The enormity of what Lux had so casually suggested left me somewhat dazed, for I could tell she was serious, but despite her apparent confidence I was hesitant to commit myself so suddenly to such a large and seemingly impossible endeavor. Not to mention the fact that she was a Demcian, and although I was no longer a 'real' Noxian I distrusted her on reflex.

Lost in thought, I made my way out the large front door of the Institute. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly down into what was rapidly becoming a pleasant spring morning. In front of me, below the hill upon which the Institute was situated upon, lay a bustling town. Apparently it had sprung up around the time the Institute had been founded to meet the needs of all the people who lived there.

My destination this morning, however, lay in the woods to the east of the town. So as I exited the Institute I turned away from the village and began making my way down a familiar paved path. Most days I simply utilized the training facilities the Institute had to offer: after all, they were outfitted with an abundance of equipment and were even shielded from the power inhibitors that blanketed the area. Today, though, I really needed some fresh air.

A few minutes later I crossed the tree line into the dim greenery of the forest, and as I did I felt the heaviness of the inhibitor lift from my shoulders. To avoid accidently crossing back over the barrier, I continued another twenty paces before halting. Next I surveyed the area and, satisfied with the amount of space available, raised my sword vertically in front of me.

I held that pose for several moments, breathing in and out evenly, and let my mind enter a peaceful state. It was difficult, especially after my conversation with Lux, but I forced out all interfering thoughts and began a rigorous training exercise designed to strengthen the upper body. It was tough work involving pushups, repeated overhead sword swings, and swift changes of pace. Before long I was drenched in sweat and short on breath, but I pressed onwards regardless.

As I worked, I thought of the Ionian village that had been destroyed. My conversation with Lux kept replaying itself in my mind. My feeling of despair when I'd learned nothing had changed, that Noxus was rotting even now, had been slowly growing. The more I considered everything, the fewer doubts I had. Really, it didn't matter if it was impossible. If there was even the slightest chance of inciting a revolution, I had to try. Lux had been right: nothing short of that would change anything, and I forced myself to accept it as fact.

 _I will not delude myself into thinking that there will ever be peace if Noxus remains as it is._

I was actually surprised by how calm I felt after accepting Lux's words. If I succeeded, Ionia would be safe and there would be hope for the city I had grown up believing in. If I failed, well, if I failed I would most likely be dead, and at least to my knowledge the dead couldn't feel regret.

 _No,_ I thought, closing my eyes and halting my sword mid-swing, _I will not die. Not until I succeed. I owe that much._

 _I_ will _succeed._

My resolve lit a fire within me, like a physical force fueling me. I felt a tingling sensation ripple down my right arm from where I was gripping my sword hilt, and I opened my eyes in surprise as a light pulsed. The one remaining rune on my sword shone a bright, vivid emerald, and a faint humming noise filled the air. It was as though my sword were a window to my emotions, manifesting them in a visible, tangible form.

Instinctively, I focused with all my might on my desire to save Ionia, my desire to save Noxus from itself, and my desire to save myself from the despair of my past. I poured every ounce of mental strength into the effort, as if trying to reshape the world with thought alone.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sudden roar, the energy that had been building up in my sword burst forth in a blinding explosion of light. I flinched away and shielded my eyes, senses overloaded from the sudden barrage of stimulus. After a few moments the glow receded, and I cautiously lowered my raised arm to look at my blade.

What I saw left me staring in open wonder.

My sword was whole once more, but it was different. The hilt was the same, but now the blade was black. Above the fractured metal floated several sections of steel each inscribed with a different rune, tracing the outline of a great sword. The entire length of the reforged weapon radiated a soft green glow, and the humming noise increased in volume as the construct radiated energy.

 _It's beautiful._

That simple thought ran through my mind. My sword was mirroring my own determination, as if it were truly a part of me.

 _Both shattered in the past and now, both reborn._

I knew then with certainty that the path I had chosen was correct.

In spite of my shock, or perhaps because of it, I was gripped by a desire to see what this new blade was capable of. I quickly searched my mind, and an old technique I had learned years ago presented itself as the ideal test: the Windslash.

Enough focus combined with the magic stored in the runes of my old sword had once allowed me to slice the air itself, blasting an arc of energy outward. After long months of practice I had only successfully performed the technique a handful of times and by the time I joined the Noxian campaign in Ionia, I had seemingly become incapable of using it at all. Although I hadn't even attempted the Windslash once in the months following my self-imposed exile, in that moment it didn't even occur to me that I might fail. My mind was too focused, and the aura of the weapon in my hands inspired too much confidence, for me to even consider the possibility of failure.

So it was without any hesitation that I brought my sword across in a horizontal arc, yelling my defiance to the forest around me as I challenged the technique whose mastery had forever eluded me. The blade slowed part way through the arc, as though an invisible surface resisted its path, and the glow from the runes dimmed somewhat.

But I would not be denied.

"Heiyaaah!"

With a roar, I pulled with all my strength and the sword snapped free with an explosion of noise. I staggered from the force of my swing, and briefly lost sight of my surroundings as I struggled to regain my balance. Just as I steadied myself, there was an earsplitting _crack!_ and I looked up in time to see a massive tree, easily 6 feet in diameter, topple to the ground with a thunderous crash. There was a slice clean through the trunk about 5 feet off the ground, and the edges still glowed orange with heat.

I had just begun to feel amazement at my success when a wave of exhaustion fell over me. I staggered again, and this time failed to catch myself in time. My reforged blade flickered and blinked out of existence as I hit the ground hard, and it took all my remaining energy to force myself to keep the grasping clutches of unconsciousness at bay.

I lay there for several minutes, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. Yet even as I recovered I wondered at what had just transpired. I had not had a clue that my sword was capable of transforming like that, nor did I believe I possessed the latent magical ability to cause such a thing to happen. It shouldn't have been possible. However, the world apparently didn't care what I deemed "in the realm of possibility" for it had happened anyway. The only reasonable explanation was that this was another manifestation of the magical rune embedded in my shattered blade, though if that were true the power contained in my sword was far beyond what I had previously been led to believe. My old blade may have been able to generate a blast like that, but I had thought my weapon had lost the majority of its power when I smashed it.

Strength slowly built back up inside me, and I mentally shelved the matter for the time being. I wasn't going to figure it out on my own, and there were experts on magic in a building only a few hundred yards away from me. Surely some of the summoners would be able to shed some light on the matter, and I resolved to seek out one of my acquaintances among them as soon as possible.

With great effort I pulled myself to my feet. I was far too tired to continue training so I decided to head back to the Institute early, and ideally wash off before continuing with the rest of my day. With that thought in mind I half walked, half staggered out of the woods and back along the path leading up the hill.

By the time I reached the Institute I was feeling a bit better, and I was just reaching for the wooden door of the main entrance when it swung open on its own. I took a step back to allow whoever was exiting the room to do so, and then started as I found myself face to face with someone I recognized. I had never spoken with her before, but the unique blades floating beside Irelia ensured she could not be mistaken for anyone else. I didn't know much about her, but from what little I did the Ionian was unlikely to be pleased to see me.

She regarded me coldly for several moments before stepping outside.

"Good morning." She greeted me. The words were normal, though her tone underscored her less-than-friendly feelings towards me.

I nodded tersely, and made to walk through the doorway. I couldn't think of anything to say to her: not only did I share a bloody past with her people but the city from which I had once hailed had just attacked her land again. It was unlikely such a history would lead to anything resembling a pleasant exchange, and I knew I deserved all the disgust she felt towards me.

She spoke again before I could take more than a step.

"What business does a Noxian have out here at this hour?"

I halted and turned back towards her.

"Former Noxian," I replied shortly, correcting her solely from habit. "I was training."

"Indeed." She frowned as if considering a matter of some importance, then sighed and continued. "There's an official match in an hour."

I blinked in surprise, not because of the news but rather that she had bothered to inform me. Champions could be summoned for an official match at any time from anywhere in the Institute, and so it was common courtesy to inform any you ran across if a match were scheduled suddenly. At least if you knew about it when the summoning began, it was less of a shock. Considering the circumstances, I was surprised that she was extending this gesture towards a "Noxian" like me. I supposed her sense of decency must have gotten the better of her, although the look on her face suggested she would have rather left me in the dark.

Somehow, that made me feel even worse about the morning's news.

"Is it between Ionia and Noxus?" I asked. I couldn't think of anything else to say, but the silence was too uncomfortable for me to refrain from responding.

"Yes. They've agreed to withdraw their occupying force peacefully if we win on the condition we relinquish our claim on the village if we lose." She continued to stare coolly at me, but I gazed back unflinchingly.

"I…" I began, trying to think of something that I could say to help. My guilt and disgust towards the current Noxus were impossible to be adequately put into words and, even if they weren't, any sort of verbal apology would have been laughably meaningless in the face of my past. In the end I kept it simple.

"Good luck."

I meant it. Ionia winning this match would mean Noxus would at least have to appear to comply with their end of the wager to satisfy the Institute. If there was one thing the high council of summoners would not overlook, it was the breaking of a deal made before a match. That meant Ionia would be safe, at least for the time being, if they emerged victorious.

A look of surprise crossed Irelia's face and, although I wasn't sure, it seemed as though her expression softened just a little.

"Thank you, Exile."

She disappeared behind me without another word, leaving me standing alone in the doorway. As I resumed walking, I pondered at the significance of the change of title she had used to address me.

* * *

I was passing through one of the many hallways in the main wing of the Institute when I heard someone call my name. I glanced around and saw a robed figure trotting towards me, hand raised in greeting. I recognized him as Endal Alneerin, an independent summoner who I had fought together with on the Rift quite a few times. Although we knew each other fairly well from the mind merge that was a part of the summoning process, we rarely met in person. On the other hand, he was a decent sort as far as summoners went and had been among the forefront of the people I had been considering asking about my sword. Why he would be seeking me out this early in the day, though, I had no idea.

In response I turned to head towards him, and he slowed to a walk as we neared each other.

"Good morning, Endal." I greeted him "Actually, I was looking for you. Do you have a minute?"

Upon hearing my question, he raised an eyebrow. Endal was young for a summoner, only 24, with short brown hair and a thin build that emphasized his focus on mental rather than physical training. Despite his unimposing appearance, though, I knew him to possess a keen tactical mind.

"It's unusual for you to seek me out, to say the least. Unfortunately," he said, frowning slightly, "I have something to discuss with you as well. It's rather time sensitive, so I hope you don't mind if we address it first."

I was somewhat impatient to learn more about my weapon, but I could see the concern on Endal's face as he spoke. I decided to put aside my curiosity for the time being and gestured for him to continue.

Endal seemed a bit relived that I hadn't pushed the point, and I realized I was still holding my sword in my hand. That probably didn't make me seem very approachable, so I relinquished it to my shoulder harness and tried to give him a reassuring smile. It came out more like a grimace, but he seemed to relax a little bit regardless.

"Thanks, would you come with me?"

I nodded, somewhat intrigued, and followed him down the hall. Endal had never approached me like this before, and I was curious to find out what he wanted. In fact, it was rare for me to see him at all; normally our contact solely consisted of fighting together on the fields of justice. I idly wondered what he did with the rest of his time, for I never saw him at meals, and resolved to ask him that as well if the opportunity arose.

Endal lead me through a small, unfamiliar door and into what appeared to be an administrative area. We passed several offices, many of which contained summoners scribbling away on sheets of parchment. He approached one of these rooms and took out a small key, which he proceeded to insert into the door. I was a little surprised at how mundane the security was here considering that all summoners could use powerful magic, but kept the thought to myself as he pushed open the door and motioned for me to enter.

Endar's office, or at least I assumed it was his office, was fairly sparse. It contained only a desk, several folders, various writing implements, and two chairs. He walked behind the desk and sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. I complied, seating myself across from him, and waited for him to speak.

"I don't know if you've heard, but there's a match between Ionia and Noxus today." He began, "Regarding the recent incident involving a border village."

I nodded curtly and waited for him to continue, feeling the familiar twinge of guilt that came with someone mentioning Ionia within my earshot. Endal, however, seemed unaware of my discomfort and pressed on without hesitation.

"I'm going to get right to the point. I've been chosen as a summoner for Ionia for this match, apparently they aren't able to recall enough of their own on short notice. Seeing as they only have four champions currently in the Institute, I have been given free rein to summon from the pool of independents." He leaned forward slightly in his chair. "I would like to summon you, Riven."

I was very surprised, and it must have shown on my face for he immediately followed up with an explanation.

"I realize we aren't supposed to discuss who we are going to summon before the match begins, but I've been inside your head Riven, I think I know how this whole situation must be making you feel. So before I summon you, I would like to ask your permission. If you do not feel up to participating, I _will_ choose someone else."

It occurred to me that Endal would probably be expelled from the League if anyone knew he was talking to me about this, the high council of summoners took match integrity very seriously. I very much appreciated the lengths to which he was going to seek my permission, especially since most summoners couldn't care less how the champions in the League felt. But while I was surprised to hear that there would be openings in the Ionian team today, there was no doubt in my mind concerning my course of action. If there was a chance I could aid Ionia in the coming battle, I would seize it without hesitation.

"I want to fight!" I said forcefully, and then realized I'd raised my voice. I made myself to calm down before continuing. "Please summon me."

Endal smiled "I thought that would be your response. Very well, the match will begin shortly. Please prepare yourself."

He made to get up, but I interrupted him with a question.

"Why were you chosen to participate today? Do you have ties to Ionia?"

He paused, "I visited there once, it's a beautiful place filled with a kind people. The thought of conflict sweeping across their land once more fills me with an anger I am unaccustomed to. When I heard that there were not enough Ionian summoners, I immediately volunteered my services."

I nodded in understanding. From what I knew, Endal's performance on the Rift was well above average. The Ionians had probably been worried about hiring an independent on short notice for such an important match, and Endal's appearance must have relieved them greatly.

"It seems we are of a like mind." I and allowed a small grin to play across my lips, and offered him my hand. "We'll make Noxus pay."

Endal took my hand and shook firmly. "Indeed. It will be a pleasure, Riven."

He glanced at a clock on the wall, then released my hand and stood up.

"I'm afraid the business you have with me will have to be postponed, I was due at the summoning platform 3 minutes ago to begin preparations."

I nodded and rose as well; questions about my sword could wait until after the match. My mind was burning with a desire to strike back at Noxus, and everything else was secondary. It was the first time I had ever felt fired up for a match: Normally I entered them with a mixture of trepidation and discomfort, for they were not pleasant experiences. Now, however, I was fueled with purpose and ready for battle.

With a final nod of farewell to Eldar, I exited the office and began making my way back to my quarters to await the summoning. I forced myself to walk calmly, but beneath the surface my anticipation was barely controlled. I didn't realize I'd unslung my sword until I was holding it in front of me, staring at my reflection in the blade. My own face stared back, crimson eyes hard with resolve.

 _The Noxus team,_ I thought, _isn't going to know what hit them._

 **A/N: Please be kind enough to leave a review, I appreciate all of them. Next up is a league match! Then we'll get into the real substance of the story.**


	3. Into the Fray: Part 1

I was meditating in my quarters when the summoning began. Blue beams of light emerged from the floor, enveloping me completely as I calmly opened my eyes and waited for the process to complete. A few moments later I felt a rushing sensation, as if flying through the air at high speed, and then suddenly my surroundings changed. I was in a small stone room, in the center of which stood a rack holding my sword. As I stood up, a small magical display flickered into life on the far wall showing the number "60". There was a small beeping noise and the display began counting down.

59….58….57….

I lifted my sword out of the rack and inspected it, ensuring the summoning hadn't affected it in some way. Because champions didn't always have their equipment on them, everyone was initially summoned into what was colloquially known as "The Crypt" due to its cramped, claustrophobia inducing dimensions. Their weapons and other gear were summoned separately, and everyone was given a minute to prepare for battle. In my case, however, preparing only took about five seconds. Once I picked up my sword, I was ready to go.

43….42….41….

My stomach tightened a little with the nervousness I always felt before heading into combat, but this time it was accompanied by an unfamiliar sense of eagerness and anticipation. I generally had little invested in League matches, and usually fought through them with a kind of mechanical detachment. Not this time, however. This time I was going to give it everything I had for, while I knew winning would only buy Ionia time, losing would quite probably doom them.

I resolved to find Lux immediately after I returned from the match. Even with a victory here we needed to come up with a plan of action quickly, and I still hadn't even had a chance to tell her I'd decided to work with her. I had no idea how to begin working towards toppling the Noxian high command, but she had seemed so confident in our earlier conversation I was sure she'd at least have suggestions for a starting point.

I pushed the distracting thoughts out of my head and glanced at the timer, I could deal with those problems later.

25…24…23…

The fact that I would be fighting Noxus didn't bother me at all. In fact, I was hoping I would get the opportunity to take down Swain at least once, if he was in the match. I knew it wouldn't accomplish anything in the grand scheme of things, but my anger at him from the morning had not abated in the slightest.

18.…17….16….

 _How do Lux and Garen manage to equip all their armor in 60 seconds?_ I wondered, _Maybe the summoners help them?_

The timer hit five seconds, and another tone sounded. I stopped pacing and turned to face the countdown, watching the final few seconds tick away.

3.…2….1….

Blue light filled my vision and the rushing sensation returned as the summoning magic whisked me away once more. There was a sound like a cannon blast and suddenly I found myself standing on a raised, circular stone platform. I blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the sudden bright sunlight, and surveyed the familiar surroundings. A purple Nexus blazed with magical energy immediately in front of the platform, flanked by two of the massive defensive towers, and beyond it I could see the tall trees of the jungle stretching into the distance. Summoners Rift was just as it always was.

 _Hello Riven_ , came Endal's voice inside my head, _it seems as though the link is working normally. Everything alright on your end?_

I had never quite gotten used to hearing another person's voice in my mind, but it was a fact of life as a champion in the League of Legends. However, the communication advantages being linked to a summoner afforded you was worth the discomfort, and that didn't even take into account the magical support they could provide.

 _I'm all set here._ I replied, just as more beams of light appeared around me.

The summoning sequence repeated four more times, each one a few seconds apart, and my teammates appeared around me. I wasn't surprised to see Irelia materialize to the left of me, for I had already surmised she would be participating. The other champions I recognized as Ashe, Akali and Lee Sin. I had been in matches with them before, though I couldn't recall speaking more than a few words to any of them.

They all noticed me just as the announcer boomed out a welcome. I suddenly realized they most likely hadn't known I was going to be their teammate, and felt a sharp upswing of anxiety as I awaited their reactions. They had every right to be upset considering the circumstances, and I couldn't imagine they'd be pleased to have me as a teammate. After all, my part in the Ionian invasion was well known.

Akali's eyes narrowed behind her mask and Lee Sin, despite being unable to see me, turned his head towards me with a frown. Ashe, despite not being Ionian, regarded me with a wary expression and tightened her grip on her bow. Irelia, on the other hand, only gave me an expressionless nod and moved to the shop to pick up her starting items. After a moment the others followed suit, though none of them said a word as they walked past me. After a moment's hesitation I joined them, and was about to reach for an item when I realized I didn't know what position I was supposed to be.

"You're going to be in the top lane, Exile." Irelia said from behind me, apparently having noticed my confusion. Her tone was as expressionless as her face, and I wondered what she was thinking. However now was not the time for distracting thoughts, so I grabbed a rune labeled "Doran's Blade" and placed it on the hilt of my sword. As soon as it attached I felt my strength increase slightly, and I knew from experience my gold value was now zero. I couldn't directly check how much I had, but I could always ask Endal.

I gave Irelia a nod in response. It made the most sense to put an independent champion at top, for they were isolated for a significant portion of the match. This meant they didn't need to rely as much on team coordination, and since I had never fought together with the Ionians before I wouldn't be able to keep up with most of their strategies. This solution allowed them to act as they normally did, for the most part.

I looked around and assessed the team. Ashe was certainly going to be the carry, and Akali was most likely mid. Between Lee Sin and Irelia, though, I couldn't tell who was going to be in the jungle and who would accompany Ashe to the bot lane.

"Who's in the jungle?" I asked, turning to face Irelia. Her blades spun slowly beside her, a permanent reminder of her sacrifices. Seeing them reminded me once more of the carnage wrought upon their land, but I fought the urge to look away. I was done running from my past.

"Me." She responded, "Lee Sin will support Ashe at bot, it's not a perfect set up but it's the best we could do on such short notice."

"We'll more than make do." Ashe commented, "Noxus shouldn't have a traditional support either, and I'll outclass all of them as the match goes on. Even if we don't win the lane, we'll get them back before long." She flipped an arrow into the air and caught it dexterously, emphasizing her skill.

"That we shall." Said the blind monk. "Our spirit shall not waver."

None of them save Irelia were taking any notice of me at this point, as if they were doing their best to ignore me entirely. I sensed that this would lead to serious communication issues later and decided attempt to preemptively deal with them.

"I realize you all are not happy to have me on your team for this fight," I began, trying to meet their eyes "and I can't blame you for that, considering who I am. But I want Ionia to win this match, and I will do what I can to make that happen." I paused, trying to find the right words. "I hope we can work together to that end."

Everyone turned towards me as I spoke, though no one responded immediately. The tension in the air was almost tangible, and I was just starting to worry that the match would start without us when Akali stepped forward. She stared at me intently for another moment, and then nodded sharply.

"I cannot speak for tomorrow, Riven the Exile," she intoned "but today we will fight together."

I realized I'd never heard her speak before, and was surprised at how soft her voice was. Behind her, Lee Sin nodded in agreement and Ashe's expression relaxed slightly. The tension was still there, but it seemed as though they were willing to give me a chance.

No one said anything for a few more seconds, and then Irelia spoke again.

"It's time to move, the match will begin shortly."

With that, we all went our separate ways.

* * *

I quickly a warding trinket, and then headed towards my position.

 _You handled that pretty well._ Endal's voice said in my mind. _That'll be sure to cut down on the potential issues._

 _That was the plan._ I replied, and then: _Why is Ashe on the team? She's not an Ionian._

 _She fought in the Noxus versus Ionian rematch._ He explained, _ever since then she has been an honorary champion for them._

 _Ah…_

I hopped down the stone steps leading out of the base and began traversing the lane. Not too far ahead lay the inner tower, and beside it the dense jungle that covered the majority of the Rift. It looked imposing from the outside, and I knew from experience that carelessness inside was a quick way to get ambushed.

The outer tower had just come into view when I heard the announcer once more, alerting the champions that the minions had spawned. I quickly crossed the remaining distance and stopped next to it, a little out of breath. The distance from the base to the edge of a team's territory was fairly large, which made travelling back and forth across the map a pain. Fortunately Endal could use his summoning magic to transport me back to the starting platform for healing, but it was only one way.

That line of thought raised a question I should have asked sooner, and I mentally flagged down Endal's attention.

 _What spells did you register for this match?_ I asked. It was important for me to know what to expect from him, since in combat we often didn't get to communicate much.

 _I am eligible for Flash and Ignite, though I did consider teleport._

Flash and Ignite, a fairly standard combination that combined the utility of increased movement with the lethality of ranged damage. I was used to fighting with these spells as support, and was grateful he hadn't opted to pick a niche alternative for this match.

 _I see, I'm counting on you._ I replied.

Normally, I didn't like relying on others in a fight. I had learned the hard way that the only way to be sure of getting something done was to do it yourself. However, Endal had proven to be a competent tactician in the months since we had started fighting together, and by now I had a healthy respect for his ability to judge when to come to my aide. Not that I had much of a choice in the matter since I couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted, but it was nonetheless reassuring to have someone like him watching my back.

 _The Noxian champions for this match are Katarina, Darius, Swain, Draven and Sion._ Endal informed me. _I'm not sure who you'll be up against so be careful at the start._

 _Understood._

A part of me hoped that Swain would be my lane opponent, but I knew that any personal feelings I had against him would have to be put aside for the duration of the match. There was no room for error against a team as strong as the one I was facing today.

I glanced back down the lane, and saw the line of minions trundling towards me. They looked as weak as they were, but they were vital to taking down enemy towers. Equally important, killing one of the enemy's minions netted me a small amount of gold. The odd rules to these matches had taken some time to fully understand, but by now I thoroughly grasped the nuances of the system. Kill as many minions as possible, stop my opponent from killing mine, and kill my opponent if possible. Simple enough. The later portions of the battles become more complicated than that, but at least at the beginning that was a close enough approximation.

The purple minions passed me and charged into the no-mans-land in the center of the lane, and I saw the opposing team's blue ones do the same. It was finally time to start.

I followed the minions at a walk, keeping an eye out for my opponent. She didn't keep me waiting. The long red hair and slender form of Katarina Du Couteau was impossible to miss as she strode to the melee taking place in the middle of the lane. She sneered as she caught sight of me, lip curling in an almost tangible animosity.

"Ah, the deserter. What a _pleasure_." She mocked, casually tossing a knife at a purple minion. The projectile caught it in the head, and it fell limp with a dull thud.

I didn't bother responding, I had no words for this crazed psychopath. I had only met Katarina a few times in Noxus, and only in passing at that, but tales of her violent tendencies had spread far and wide. Hefting my sword, I approached one of the blue minions that had charged a little too far and was being overwhelmed by three of my own. I dispatched it with a single swipe, always taking care to keep Katarina in my field of vision lest she try anything.

It appeared she intended to focus on killing minions as well, though, as she had drawn her blades and approached the far side of the small battle happening between us. A tense silence reigned as we both took our time cutting down the hapless animated dolls, but neither of us attacked the other. The minions were ignoring us for now, but straying too far forward would provoke their ire. They usually weren't too dangerous, but being attacked by several at once could be the difference between victory and defeat in a close fight.

The second and third minions I brought down effortlessly as well, but the fourth I mistimed. It hadn't been sufficiently damaged by the time my strike caught it in the side and it continued to swing away, unfazed by my attack.

I brought my sword around again to strike at the wounded minion before me, and saw a blur of movement out of the corner of my eye. Katarina had taken advantage of my poorly timed attack, and a small knife spun towards me like a bullet. I halted my strike and leapt forwards, vaulting over the blue minion and felt the projectile graze my arm as it passed. The sudden dodge had closed the gap between us, and I seized the initiative. With a yell, I charged towards her, my fractured blade held at the ready. Through the summoning link, I could feel Endal tense in preparation to come to my aide as I engaged the enemy.

Katarina blocked my overhead strike by crossing her daggers and thrusting upwards. Instead of absorbing the powerful blow, she skillfully deflected it to the side and let the momentum of the swing carry my sword towards the ground. Her talent was undeniable, but the block left her body open for a crucial second. Lowering my shoulder, I continued my charge straight into her and we both crashed into the ground in a confused tangle of limbs.

I heard Katarina stifle a curse as I quickly pulled myself up to a kneeling position. The assassin was already rolling away, and I lunged forward with a slash and was rewarded with a pained grunt as my sword connected with her leg. As the momentum of her roll took her out of my range she leapt to her feet with a snarl, hurling another knife at me with uncanny accuracy. I gritted my teeth as it dug into my shoulder, and surged to my feet ready for a counter. Katarina had backed off, though, retreating to behind a new wave of minions that had just shown up. I followed suit, pulling the dagger out of my shoulder and tossing it to the ground as I did. The wound didn't hurt too much, the magic of the Rift dulled pain somewhat and healed all the champions gradually over time. Even as I glanced down at it, the cut was beginning to close on its own.

The next few minutes passed in the same fashion: Carefully killing minions and probing each other with small skirmishes that never lasted longer than a few blows. In between one of them, Endal instructed me to walk near the mouth of the river that bisected the map so he could drop a sight ward in the overgrown bush at its edge. I relied on him to watch my flank while I concentrated on the more immediate threat of my lane opponent.

"So tell me," Katarina prompted, breaking the tense silence between us, "why are _you_ fighting for the Ionians? Deserting is bad enough, but turning traitor? Who would have thought? "

I knew she was trying to provoke me, but I responded anyway.

"Hunger for war and massacre is not strength," I intoned "it's madness. Real strength cannot be found in the Noxian leadership, and I owe no loyalty to those who kill indiscriminately."

Katarina barked a harsh laugh, "That's rich, coming from you. How many Ionians have you killed again?"

My face hardened and I took a step towards her, but Endal's mental shout stopped me.

 _Look out! Darius is flanking from the river!_

I quickly turned to run towards the tower before they could engage me two on one. As I did, Katarina vanished and instantly reappeared right beside me.

"Going somewhere?" She asked sarcastically, skillfully twirling her daggers in a complicated attack.

I batted aside the first one with my blade, but the second dug a gash in my chest. The painful sting told me it was a more severe wound than the ones I had previously sustained, and I cursed inwardly at allowing myself to be taunted to stepping out of position. I whirled away from Katarina, attempting to disengage just as Darius burst from the bushes in the river with a roar.

Years of combat and months of battling on the Rift allowed me to keep calm. With a quickness born of experience, I focused on the rune in my sword. It responded instantly, flashing green as a runic shield encircled me. The barrier intercepted Darius's first axe strike, and I used the momentary reprieve to enter a full sprint.

They were hot on my heels though, and another knife buried itself in between my shoulders as I closed in on the protection of the tower. I staggered as it hit home and pain shot through my body, if I took another hit like that I was dead. I regained my footing and put on a burst of speed, but the stumble had cost me dearly. Darius was right behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder in time to see him slash his axe down on my defenseless back.

 _BANG._

There was a bright flash of light and all of a sudden I was in the shadow of the tower. A brief moment of disorientation washed over me at the sudden change in my position, but I kept my footing this time. I turned around just in time to see Darius's axe slam into the ground where I had been a moment before with a powerful _thud_ , and I knew Endal's intervention had saved me.

 _You cut that one a little close, Endal._ I objected, but there was no sting in my tone. I was grateful for the help.

 _I was trying to save it. Don't be as reckless from now on, Noxus has a strong team._

I grunted noncommittally, and winced as the pain from my wounds finally caught up with me. Leaning against the base of the tower for support, I was about to ask Endal if he could recall me to the base for healing when he began the spell. Despite the situation I grinned, he knew what he was doing alright.

* * *

With another flash of light, I appeared back on the summoning platform behind the Nexus. Instant relief flooded me as my body regenerated at an impossible pace, and an involuntary sigh escaped me. As used to battle as I was, the constant wounding and healing that happened on the Rift was mentally exhausting.

As I healed I spent my gold on another item that increased my attack power, and a few health potions. The entire process only took about 6 seconds.

 _How's the team doing?_ I asked as I descended the steps back into our base.

 _Too early to tell, but they're hanging in there._

I nodded, and then remembered he couldn't see me. I figured he could sense my understanding through the link regardless, though. I shook the thought from my head and continued.

 _Tell Irelia to come to my lane. Katarina is too confident, we'll be able to take her down._

 _Give me a moment._ There was a slight pause, then: _She'll be there in a few minutes._

If Katarina hadn't gone back to heal when I did, I would have a slight power advantage due to my new items. Combined with Irelia coming to flank her, we had a very real chance of taking her out.

It didn't take me too long to get back to the tower, but blue minions were already swarming its base. It fired repeatedly, purple energy smashing into the diminutive dolls and reducing them to dust. Their sacrifices, however, were allowing Katarina to deliver some powerful strikes to it. Upon seeing my return she backed off, but not before dealing more damage than I would have liked. Already I could see a few cracks spreading from where her weapons had impacted upon the stone, and I knew it wouldn't withstand sustained pushes from her.

With the tower's assistance, I quickly dealt with the offending minions. As I struck down the last one, Endal updated me on the plan.

 _She'll be here in 15 seconds, be ready._

I advanced with my minion wave, which made it almost to the middle of the lane before being confronted with their opponents. As they battled, I prepared my attack. Katarina was fast and could blink short distances instantaneously, so if we were going to kill her we had to do it quickly.

I walked into the small melee to swing at a minion, hoping Katarina would take the bait and engage, but she was keeping a safe distance away.

 _Patience._ I thought. _Wait for the right moment._

She took a step forward, bringing herself into range to toss yet another knife at one of my minions in the backline. In doing so, she moved a little bit closer to me. It was a slight change, but it made all the difference. Seizing the opportunity I leapt towards her and swung my blade horizontally, aiming to catch her square in the torso. Right before my strike connected she vanished from sight, and I instinctively spun around to block the attack I knew was coming from behind.

I barely managed it. Her twin blades scraped across the shattered remains of my weapon, and the clash rang out amidst the din of battle.

"Now!" I yelled.

Irelia erupted from the mouth of the river and charged at Katarina who, occupied as she was with me, wasted a vital moment identifying the new threat. Her hesitation cost her. My swing sliced across her chest in an arc, creating a wound that would no doubt have been lethal in a normal battle. I felt a grim satisfaction as my blow hit home, as if my initial success was an affirmation of Noxus's current failures.

Irelia joined the fight, slashing down with her floating weapons and I allowed myself the hope that we would be able to finish her off before she could retaliate. Battles were never that easy, however, and Katarina skillfully parried Irelia's attack and took off at a sprint for the safety of her tower in full retreat. I swung at her once more as she passed, and was rewarded with another grunt of pain as the sword hit home. Our prey escaping, Irelia and I took off in hot pursuit. Irelia was faster than me, catching up to Katarina just outside the range of the blue tower. She struck once more, swinging her four blades in a complex, coordinated attack that surely would be the killing blow.

The instant before they hit home, there was another bright flash of light and Katarina teleported to her tower as the summoner she was linked with panicked. Irelia's momentum carried her a few steps too far, and before she could retreat the tower responded with a blast of crackling energy. It impacted with the force of a mighty hammer blow, staggering her as Katarina attempted to reengage to finish her off. Seeing the danger, I put on a burst of speed and closed the gap. I darted past Irelia, still reeling from the tower shot, and made a beeline for Katarina.

"Get out of my way, traitor!" She snarled, seeing me in between her and her intended target.

She halted her rush as I continued my charge, disregarding Endal's frantic warning that the tower had prioritized me as its new target.

 _I must win this battle_. _No more hesitation._

A veritable storm of knives came flying at me from Katarina as she attempted to bring me down. Sprinting as I was, there was no time to dodge. Instead, I held the flat of my blade in front of my face to shield it and tore through the whirlwind of death. My body cried out in pain as several of the projectiles embedded themselves in my torso and arms, but I didn't stop. Just a few steps more steps...

 _I_ must _win._

I focused my mind on the magic imbued in my blade, and a blast of energy erupted from it. It arced out, smashing into Katarina and throwing her off balance. The knives stopped coming.

 _Riven!_ _The tower!_ I heard Endal shout in my mind.

Without pausing to think I called upon my blade's protection once more, and the runic shield burst into life just in time to absorb the blast of energy bearing down upon me. The impact jarred me, but I held my course steady. I sensed Endal in the back of my mind focusing hard on something, and magical flames burst into life around my enemy as I closed. I took the final step, and Katarina's dazed form was finally within reach. With a mighty roar I swung my fractured blade down, cutting across her body.

Flames erupted around me as well as the Noxian summoner attempted to save his champion, but I ignored the pain. With one final swing of my sword, Katarina collapsed dead at my feet. There was no time for celebration however, and I immediately dashed for the relative safety of the adjacent enemy jungle. If I could just get out of range before the next sho-

 _BANG._

There was a massive impact between my shoulder blades, and everything went black.

* * *

Sensation returned to my body in a rush, and I opened my eyes. I was back on the summoning platform, heart racing and covered in sweat. Instinctively, I reached my arm back and felt below my neck where the tower shot had killed me, but there was nothing there. The pain I had been ignoring was gone as well, though the memory of the searing flames and piercing knives remained. No matter how many times it happened, I never got used to dying on Summoners Rift. No champion did.

 _Welcome back._ Endal said. _You got the first kill bonus, good job._

 _Irelia?_ I asked, as my body began to calm down.

 _She got away._ He informed me. _We came out ahead this time, but be less aggressive. That easily could have turned into two kills for Katarina._

 _Battles are won by taking decisive action._ I told him, this was not the first time we've had this discussion. _In order to win, risks must be taken._

 _Even so…_

Despite my assertion I knew he had a point, I had let my emotions drive me to recklessness. If I wanted to win this fight, I had to remain calm.

 _I'll be more careful._ I assured him. I sensed his approval, though he didn't respond.

There was a flash of light next to me, and Irelia blinked into being. She sighed in relief upon entering the regeneration field of the summoning platform, although I still thought she looked a bit worse for wear. Not that I could blame her, given the circumstances.

I knew I should probably say something to acknowledge our fight, but it seemed that every time I found myself with Irelia I could never find the right words. After a brief internal struggle, I decided to play it safe.

"Thanks for the assist."

She gave me a nod, but didn't respond. Well, it was probably better than how most Ionians would treat me. I knew from experience battling together forged strong bonds between allies, though I somehow doubted that would hold true in this case. Even so, it appeared that at least some of her previous animosity towards me had faded.

I turned away and began jogging back to lane. There was a long fight ahead of us, and we couldn't afford to relax during any of it. The battle had only just begun.

 **A/N Stay tuned for Into the Fray part 2! I plan on concluding the match in the next chapter, please let me know what you think with a review. I hope you all are enjoying it.**


	4. Into the Fray: Part 2

**A/N There's some segregation of story and gameplay that I have to take into account for things to really make sense. Looking at the cinematics and seeing the scale of everything in an animated form, I get the sense Summoners Rift is much larger than it is portrayed in the actual game. Accordingly, I've scaled up the distances involved for the purposes of this story, and have similarly increased things like respawn timers and Summoner Spell cooldowns to match the map size. I hope this makes sense, and I felt it was a reasonable interpretation of the game.**

* * *

Over the next half hour battle raged across Summoners Rift. Kills were exchanged, monsters slain and towers destroyed as my team fought for every inch of ground. There were several standout moments, points at which the balance of the match could have tipped for either team: Ashe expertly eliminating both Sion and Draven with a barrage of well-placed arrows, Darius smashing through the outer tower in the mid lane at only the 8 minute mark, Akali's swift revenge as he retreated back into the jungle. Despite the intense early action, however, by the 40 minute mark neither team had gained a significant enough advantage for one to fairly say they were in the lead.

Katarina and I fought several times, culminating in a vicious showdown in the top lane that left both of us dead once more. After that we were more cautious, aware that a careless death could turn the tide of the entire match. Towers fell for each team as the match dragged on, and a growing sense of trepidation began to creep up within me. The critical moment was approaching, I could feel it.

 _What's the match time?_ I asked Endal as I grabbed yet another item from the shop. I had switched from offensive items to ones that boosted my defenses in an attempt to prepare myself for jumping into the thick of the fighting when it finally broke out in earnest.

 _Forty three minutes, seventeen seconds._ Came the prompt reply. _We've been ordered to group in the jungle, it seems Irelia's summoner wants to make a move on Baron._

Baron: The massive monster that inhabited the northern portion of the river that bisected the Rift. I'd heard it was only a replica of the true creature, and if that were true I had no desire to meet the original. Slaying it during a match granted a massive power boost to the responsible team, and it was a valuable objective that had the potential to break the current stalemate. I understood why the Ionian summoners were so eager to make an attempt to secure it, but it wouldn't be easy. The Noxian team was sure to contest any approach we made.

 _I'm on my way._ I shot back, and began running for the tree line just visible from across the base. No doubt the Noxian team was making the same move, and if we could seize control of the river before they did we would have the advantage in the inevitable clash.

* * *

My journey through the jungle was uneventful, and after a few minutes of navigating the dimly lit paths I reached the edge of the river. As I approached the bank I spotted Irelia crouching in the undergrowth, mostly hidden from view. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps and gestured for me to join her.

"What's the plan?" I murmured, squatting down near her.

Irelia wiped some sweat from her brow, and then indicated our side of the river with a slight wave of her hand.

"We're lying in wait here. We cleared their wards, so they probably think we're fighting Baron. When they come to check, we'll hit them from the side." She peered through the bushes, scanning the river as she spoke. "Go for Draven and Katarina first, they're the biggest threats."

I nodded, it was a common strategy to prioritize the major enemy damage dealers at the start of a fight. Normally they'd be well protected, but in an ambush it was possible we could take them down before the other Noxians could react.

"Be careful with Katarina." I advised. "She's faster than she looks."

Irelia didn't respond, opting to keep watch on the river from our hideout. It seemed like taking advice from me was more than she could stomach, even with our current alliance. I found myself hoping that my assistance here would improve her opinion of me, along with the other Ionian champions. I knew I deserved whatever scorn they felt for me, but the more human side of me longed for acceptance nonetheless.

I forcefully pushed aside my guilt; self-pity would not win this fight and even the slightest distraction could be fatal. For the sake of the match I hoped she would keep the warning in mind, regardless of whatever negative light she viewed me in.

I had just begun watching for signs of the enemy myself when Endal contacted me again.

 _One of our wards just picked up Sion, he's moving into the river now._ He paused, and I got the sense that he was conversing with someone else. _You should be able to see him in a few seconds._

I tensed, gripping the handle of my blade tightly. Beside me Irelia shifted slightly, no doubt having just heard a similar message from her own summoner. Her movement drew my attention and our eyes met: There was no enmity in her gaze now, as a warrior she had cast off all unnecessary thoughts of her own. There was no room for our differences in this moment, and we both knew it. She gave me a slight nod and, mouth set in a hard line, turned back to the river. Her blades, I noticed, were hovering low to the ground behind her, presumably so as not to give her away. A predatory aura emanated from her crouching form, as if she were a tiger stalking its prey.

 _She would have been a good Noxian._ I thought, as I turned to face the river as well. _A true warrior._

Moments later a hulking figure came into view, splashing through the shallow water without any attempt at stealth. Standing well over six feet tall, the undead warrior Sion was an intimidating sight. His war axe cut a path through the overgrown brush as he stomped by, swinging is head left and right for any sign of us. I remained perfectly still as he passed, prepared to leap out and attack at the first sign we'd been discovered. He didn't pause, however, and lumbered on towards the pit where Baron resided.

No one appeared to be with him, though I knew the rest of his team had to be nearby. I fervently hoped Draven or Katarina would walk close by, for it would be easy to dispatch them quickly with the surprise on our side. No one else appeared, however, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Sion stop to survey the area once again near the entrance to Baron's lair.

 _Something's not right._ I thought. _Where's the rest of his team? We could have slain Baron by now if we were actually going for it._

 _Maybe they're waiting in the jungle?_ Endal suggested, surprising me. I had momentarily forgotten our minds were linked. _They could have snuck near top lane on our side and dropped a new ward into the pit; they'd know we weren't there if that's the case._

That was a possibility: With all of our team hiding by the river it wouldn't have been too difficult for them to place a new ward after we'd cleared out theirs. That didn't explain why Sion was wandering around in the river, though.

 _Do we have a ward in the pit itself?_ I asked.

The area that Baron Nashor resided in on the Rift was commonly referred to as "The Pit" mostly because of the tall walls that surrounded all sides of his portion of the map. The only entrance faced the river, which made battling the monster a large risk: If the enemy team came before you finished, you were trapped.

 _No…_ Came Endal's slow reply. _We have one near the entrance though, we would have seen them go in._

 _Where could they be?_ I thought, wracking my brain over the possibilities. My gut was telling me something was off about this whole situation, and I'd learned long ago to listen to my instincts. Still, that didn't tell me what was going on.

 _Maybe I should scout out their jungle?_ I suggested _You can flash me out if… if…_

The realization came to me in an instant and I leapt to my feet, startling Irelia.

 _They flashed into the pit from the jungle!_

It was the only thing that made sense. We didn't have any wards in the northern most part of our jungle, and they could have snuck in without us being any the wiser. Irelia was saying something, no doubt questioning my seemingly senseless action, but there was no time to explain. If I was right, it may already be too late to stop them.

I sensed Endal's sudden understanding as he followed the direction of my thoughts, and I shouted to my hidden teammates.

"They're taking down Baron!"

It was only a guess, but there was no doubt in my mind I was right. As much as I hated him I knew Jericho Swain, and this was just the sort of trick he loved to pull over his enemies.

"Wha-?" Irelia looked up at me, confusion evident on her face. Endal must have explained to the other summoners however, because moments later she sprang out of the undergrowth with a yell.

"Charge!"

I followed at a sprint, and together we rushed towards Sion. Behind me I heard the sounds of our teammates struggling to catch up, but there was no time to wait. I had to make sure Irelia got to Baron before the Noxian team defeated it; she was the only one who had a chance of taking the kill from them. Since she was our team's jungler her summoner had access to the Smite spell, and at this point a well timed Smite focused on Baron just before it died was the only way we were coming out ahead. If the Noxian team got the power boost, our defeat was all but guaranteed.

Sion saw us, of course, for there was no time for stealth. His massive bulk barred our way, and I saw a sickening smile cross his face as he slowly lifted his axe. Irelia was still a few steps ahead of me, and I put on a burst of speed in an attempt to close the gap before we engaged.

 _If I can distract him, she might be able to get through without slowing down._ I thought, mind racing through countless possibilities. _If she gets taken out here, it's over._

Now that I was closer, I could see the opening in the river that led to Baron's lair. The sound of battle emanating from the gap in the river bank indicated that I had been right after all, and that there was no time to lose. Sion was right in front of us now, blocking our path with his broad shouldered body. Irelia darted to the right, hugging the side of the river in an attempt to dash past him before his large frame could react. For the briefest of moments I thought she was going to make it. There was no way someone as huge as the goliath in front of me could move fast enough to stop us; his large axe was surely too unwieldy to catch her fleeting form.

Sion's ugly smile broadened and I realized too late that his lethargy had been a bait, a lure to get us to lower our guards so we would try to sprint by without pause. With a quickness that defied his bulk, Sion slashed down at Irelia as she passed. The axe blade whistled through the air, homing in on her with such speed that she possibly overcome her momentum to dodge it.

There was no time to think, but a lifetime of battle and fighting had honed my reflexes to near perfection. I reacted without conscious decision, instinct taking over as my body moved in the only way it could to stop the blade from slicing through the women just in front of me.

My tackle wasn't pretty, but it was effective. I slammed into Irelia's side, knocking her sideways and into the steeply sloped stone wall that bordered the river. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her stumble and fall behind, just as the blade caught me square in the side. The blow would have killed me instantly had I not been protected by the magical auras of my defensive items. Even so they only softened the hit, and the inhumanly powerful strike lifted my feet from the ground as I was knocked airborne.

My back impacted on the stone wall of the river with a bone shattering crunch, and stars exploded in my vision as something hard struck the side of my head. Pain coursed through my body, and blackness edged in on the corners of my blurry vision. I was dimly aware of a falling sensation which ended abruptly, accompanied by another hard _thud_.

I thought I heard a voice in the back of my mind, but I couldn't make out what it was saying. Where was I, again? I struggled to remember. I couldn't see anything, my ears were ringing and my limbs felt as though they were filled with lead. The voice in my head was getting louder, exacerbating my already throbbing temples.

 _Go away…_ I thought blearily. _Let me sleep…_

 _-ven! Get up damnit! RIVEN!_

My eyes snapped open at Endal's shout. I was lying face up in shallow water, sword somehow still grasped in my right hand. I had no time to take anything else in, though, for at that moment Sion appeared above me, axe slashing down for the killing blow.

Adrenaline surged through me as I recognized the threat, masking my pain and filling my limbs with an energy born of desperation. I somehow managed to swing my sword in an awkward arc in front of me and miraculously deflected the oncoming weapon. Sion's axe splashed down into the water inches from my side and I scrambled away, dragging myself backwards as full awareness belatedly returned. Judging by the pain and the unnatural angle of my left arm I had several broken bones. Blood trickled out from multiple wounds on my chest, but now was not the time to check the severity of my injuries. Sion was already approaching, drawing his weapon back for another attack.

There was a shout from my left, and Lee Sin came thundering down the river. His kick hit Sion like a bolt of lightning, sending him staggering backwards away from me. A moment later Ashe joined him, and together they peppered the monstrous warrior with a barrage of attacks.

A shadow fell across me, making me squint at the sudden change in brightness. Akali stood over me, hand outstretched.

"Come." She commanded, grabbing onto me and hauling me up by the shoulder.

It hurt to stand, but I could do it. Endal must have activated one of my healing items because I could feel myself improving by the second, though it was a slow process.

 _Hurry!_ He warned me suddenly, _Leave Sion to those two, Irelia is in trouble!_

Right! I took the hit for Irelia! Presumably she made it past Sion and into the pit, where she was now alone with the majority of the Noxian team and a horrible monstrous worm.

 _Who's idea was this again?_ I thought, as Akali and I sprinted towards the opening in the river.

 _Beggars can't be choosers._ Endal responded. _If they kill Baron it's all over, remember?_

I grunted noncommittally, and then we were at the entrance. My eyes took in the chaotic scene in an instant: The massive monster spitting acid at Darius and Swain as they set upon it from all sides, Baron itself, which was covered in wounds and looking weak, and Irelia, who was engaged with Katarina in the midst of a flurry of sparks and flashing steel. There was something strangely hypnotic about the way Irelia's blades danced around her as if on their own accord, and I momentarily forgot my pain as I gazed at the deadly show before me.

Akali dashed forward, melting into the shadows as she ran. I momentarily lost sight of her, and then she emerged directly behind Katarina, swinging her Kamas down viciously. The sudden blow caused the assassin to stumble, and Irelia broke free. She dashed towards Baron and I followed, leaving Akali to deal with Katarina.

We were almost in range when Swain turned to face us, eyes narrowed and palm outstretched menacingly. The raven on his shoulder let out a shrieking caw, and giant talons emerged from beneath us grasping wildly. I dove away just in time, splashing down in the shallow water to a howl of protest from my damaged body, but Irelia wasn't as lucky. The talons snared her legs as she lunged forward, straining to tear away from the arcane grasp.

 _Maybe she's in range!_ I thought desperately, hauling myself up. _She can still make it!_

Irelia heaved and broke free, leaping towards Baron with no regard for her own safety, desperately trying to close the gap. There was a flash of light, followed instantly another one. A double _BANG!_ rang out, reverberating across the walled in arena and Baron let out a bellowing roar. It fell into the wall of the pit with a mighty crash, acid still spewing from its maw as life left its body.

I had time only for the briefest flare of hope before Endal's mental shout cut it off.

 _Get out of there! We missed, get out now!_

Dread filled me, and I began to shout a warning to Irelia when Darius's axe took her in the chest. Blood sprayed outwards as she staggered, and I took one step towards them before realizing there was nothing I could do. Gritting my teeth, I turned and ran for the mouth of the pit as Irelia fell lifeless to the ground.

Katarina stood before me, barring the exit. Even as I approached Draven joined her, sauntering in from whatever battle still raged in the river beyond. There was no sign of Akali, either she had escaped or died trying. I glanced behind me and saw Darius and Swain bearing down on me as well. I was surrounded, and I felt the icy claws of fear begin to take hold. There was nothing I could do.

 _Run for the wall!_ Endal commanded. _I_ ' _ll flash you out!_

I instantly obeyed, banishing my fear and sprinting away from the closing enemies and towards the nearest wall of the pit. Behind it was our side of the jungle; I had a good chance of getting away if I could just make it a few more feet. A dagger whizzed by me as I rapidly approached the edge of the basin, narrowly missing my head and ricocheting off the blade of my sword. I took one final step and- _Bang!_ \- another flash of light, another cracking sound, and I was suddenly standing in dim light amidst overgrown trees. I had escaped, for the moment.

 _Endal, you're the best._ I sent, stumbling to a halt then leaning against a tree. _I thought it was still recharging._

I could feel my heart still beating wildly inside my chest, as if it was trying to burst free from the confines of my body.

 _Thank me later_. He shot back. _Head northeast and don't stop. Find a hiding spot so I can recall you._

 _Who else made it out?_ I asked, beginning to jog and keeping an eye out for any sign of pursuit.

 _Akali and Ashe. Lee Sin stayed behind to distract Sion so they could escape._

It was better than I had expected, and if Endal was correct the blind monk's sacrifice had given us a chance. It was possible three of us could at least defend the Nexus until Irelia and Lee Sin respawned. Possible, but it wouldn't be easy.

I ached all over, and was still bleeding heavily. I had to get back to the summoning platform for healing soon; if any member of the Noxian team chanced upon me like this I was dead. After what seemed like an age, but was probably only a minute later, I judged I was far enough away and stumbled to a halt in a particularly thick cluster of trees.

 _I'm ready._

I was too exhausted to think clearly anymore. The adrenaline had faded, and I was rapidly losing the strength to remain standing. I sagged against a tree as Endal began the summoning process, still trying to stay alert for signs of danger. I felt the familiar rushing sensation and the next thing I knew I was back on the summoning platform.

Relief flooded through me as magic began repairing my body. There was a cracking noise as the broken bones in my left arm popped together, and after a few moments I had regained enough energy to take stock of my surroundings.

I was on one knee, though I had no memory of sinking to the ground. Akali was standing on the edge of the platform staring out at the base, her waist length black hair billowing in the breeze. Ashe stood to my left, looking as bad as I felt. Even as I watched, though, the blood and dirt disappeared from her clothes and her pained expression relaxed.

"Hurry." Akali said, still looking across the base. "We have no time, they're-"

A loud boom resonated across the base, and my stomach clenched. I knew that sound all too well.

 _They just took out the mid lane inhibitor tower._ Endal informed me grimly. _They're moving in on the inhibitor now._

Once the inhibitors fell their minions would get a power boost, and we would be hard pressed to fend off an assault. I fervently hoped they would opt to charge the Nexus after taking down the inhibitor instead of going for either the top or bottom lane. With only one down we might be able to manage until it could be repaired, but if multiple inhibitors fell…

"Come!" Akali was already moving, running lithely down the steps and into the base. Ashe and I followed as quickly as we could, catching up to her in front of the twin towers that defended our Nexus. The three of us stopped under their watchful protection, and I looked out at the mid inhibitor just in time to see it explode in a purple blast of energy.

"They couldn't have gone back to heal." I said to my two teammates. "There wasn't time, if we get an opportunity we have to take it. Once they take down the inhibitors and fall back to their base it'll be over."

I could see Swain directing his team towards the top inhibitor, which dashed any hope of them foolishly charging us under the towers. I should've known Swain would never do anything that rash. He always was meticulous with his plans, and he clearly intended to cripple our base before going in for the kill.

"The assassin is weak." Akali murmured, eyes fixed on Katarina's distant form. "I will eliminate her first."

I had no idea how she could tell anything at this distance, but if she thought she could take down Katarina I was going to take her word for it. The Kinkou order was not known for bouts of excessive boasting. Ashe glanced at me, grimacing as if considering a distasteful thought, and then addressed me.

"You'll have to take down Draven." She said. "You're the only one with high enough defenses. I'll distract them long enough for both of you to engage. Wait for my signal."

Akali and I nodded, and the three of us moved towards the top tower. We couldn't afford to lose another inhibitor, and if we went in now we would have the advantage of fighting under a tower. With the enemy team enhanced from the Baron kill that might not change anything, but it was the best chance we had.

The Noxians were just entering tower range, and it fired a crackling bolt at Darius as they approached. He shrugged off the hit, and together he, Katarina and Sion began hacking away at its base. For just a moment the three of them were grouped right next to each other, and Ashe seized her chance.

Sensing the danger Swain shouted what must have been a warning, but he was too late. Ashe's arrow shone bright with magical energy and it raced towards the enemy, even as they frantically attempted to evade the oncoming missile. They didn't make it. The arrow hit home with a blinding explosion, and Ashe yelled out a command as Akali and I sprang forward.

"Go!"

I rushed towards Draven as the green clad ninja dashed at Katarina, hurling one of her Kamas at the dazed assassin as she closed. It caught her square in the chest, and Akali was on her in an instant. Then I was past them, and only Draven and Swain were in sight. My resolve faltered as I saw Swain clearly for the first time in the match. In the heat of the moment I forgot the plan, all I knew was I desperately wanted to attack him, to strike down the man who had caused so many to die.

Hatred rose within me like a fire, and I took one step towards him-

 _Riven, no!_

Endal's roar brought me back to my senses. Draven had to go down first, Swain wasn't a priority. I pivoted, changing my course back towards the Noxian executioner. Fortunately he had positioned himself poorly, out of range of immediate assistance from any of his teammates. Even so, I only had seconds. No doubt Swain was coming up behind me to assist his teammate, but I didn't have time to spare a second glance in his direction.

Now that I was closer I could see a faint purple aura emanating from Draven, emphasizing the power boost granted by slaying Baron. He grinned wolfishly as I approached, hurling a throwing axe at my chest. I brought my broken blade up in an arc, batting away the projectile in a shower of sparks. A second axe trailed right behind the first, piercing my magical defenses and digging deep into my left shoulder. I ignored the pain and charged onwards, just a few more steps…

Draven backed away, drawing and throwing a third axe with incredible speed. The rune on my sword pulsed as I commanded it to shield me, and the magical barrier flickered to life around me just in time to deflect the projectile. That's what I expected to happen, at least. The projectile pierced through my protection and sliced past my left leg with a fountain of blood. I clenched my teeth as the pain shot through me but kept going at full speed. His damage was unbelievable, even taking into account the boost Baron gave him. One more hit like that and I wasn't getting up.

I took one final step, and at last he was within reach. I slashed diagonally across his chest and was rewarded with an agonized cry. He couldn't have any protection if his offensive power was this high, and I knew I only had to get a few more hits in. Draven staggered backwards from the hit, and I quickly followed up with two more strikes. He leapt away from me, calling up energy from some hidden reserve only accessible from the brink of death.

"No you don't!" I yelled, dashing after him. He grabbed a fourth axe, face set in a snarl, and I slashed my sword down to deliver the killing blow.

 _Bang!_

He flashed away from me, and my sword sliced through empty space. The momentum from my swing carried me towards him as I struggled to regain my balance. He was too far away; I couldn't reach him in time.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl around me as I staggered forwards, and I saw Draven draw back his weapon, preparing to throw the final strike.

 _If I die now, we'll lose._ I thought, as I fought to bring my sword back up in a useless gesture of defiance. _We'll lose, and Ionia will pay for our failure._

 _My failure._

 _It will be my fault._

Memories rushed through my head in an instant. A flaming village littered with bodies, an Ionian soldier whimpering as he bled out on the ground in front of me, a young child crying as she wandered amidst the ruin of her home.

"Never again!" I roared, and the rune on my sword blazed with energy. There was a flash of green light and my sword was whole once more, arcane power radiating outward causing the air to crackle and pop. It was identical to how it had been in the forest that morning, with pieces of black metal hovering above the shattered steel of the blade, forming the shape of a formidable sword. A surge of power coursed through my body and I reacted on instinct, slashing my reforged weapon in an arc just as Draven threw his axe.

I focused on my sword with all my might as it whistled through the air, willing it to obey, and a wave of energy blasted outwards. The Windslash collided with the axe, knocking it aside like a toy. It raced onwards, crossing the distance separating us in the blink of an eye and impacting dead center in the Noxian's chest. Draven convulsed, a look of shock frozen on his face, and his body thudded onto the ground.

There was no time to celebrate, and I immediately turned to survey the battle, ignoring Endal's surprise at my sword's transformation. It seemed the Noxians had somewhat underestimated our offensive power, choosing to focus their attacks on the structures before engaging us. Katarina and Darius lay lifeless on the ground beside the remains of the tower, covered in wounds. Our inhibitor lay destroyed as well, Darius's axe still embedded in its side. Ashe stood a distance away, firing arrows at Sion as he and Akali fought by the entrance of the base.

Then I saw Swain was advancing on the ninja from behind, and I opened my mouth to shout a warning just as he fired something from his open palm. The green orb struck Akali in the back just as she stabbed her kama into Sion's chest, and she too fell unmoving to the ground.

Sion bellowed in pain and rage and charged at Ashe, ripping the kama from his body and hurling it away as he stampeded forwards. I raced after him as the archer stood her ground, coolly firing arrow after arrow at the armored behemoth bearing down on her. Three went into his head and another two in his chest but he didn't slow, and I knew there was no way for me to reach her first.

Out of nowhere four blasts of orange energy impacted on Sion's chest, staggering him. Irelia was there in a flash, blades whirling around her in a deadly dance. She expertly parried Sion's retaliatory swing and lunged forward, bringing the full force of her weapon to bear on the undead soldier. One final slash from Irelia, and it was all over.

I reached them as Sion's body collapsed in a heap, and saw Lee Sin descending from the summoning platform at a run.

"This is our chance!" Called Irelia, already running towards the middle lane. "We have to win now!"

 _Riven, go!_ Commanded Endal. _We've lost two inhibitors, but they're down four members. Lee Sin will deal with Swain, but you have to get to their base fast!_

 _I'm on it!_ I sent back, and took off at a run after Irelia, Ashe close behind.

I caught up to the Ionian at the remains of our inner mid tower. She glanced over at my newly reforged sword as we ran and raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know it did that." She commented as the two of us and Ashe sprinted onwards.

I grunted. "Me either, but I'm glad it does."

Even as I watched the blade flickered and vanished, leaving the shattered sword I was so familiar with behind.

* * *

A short time later we rushed up the steps of the enemy base towards their intact inhibitor tower, past a line of minions heading the opposite way. If we didn't win here, they were going to flood our base.

 _You have 20 seconds until Katarina is up._ Endal informed me. _Lee Sin is keeping Swain from recalling for now, but you don't have much time. Hurry!_

Irelia rushed to the base of the tower, ignoring the abuse it rained down upon her. The three of us made short work of the structure, but destroying it and the inhibitor beyond wasted critical seconds.

Then we were in front of the Nexus, flanked by its two guardian towers. We attacked with a ferocity born from desperation, with no thought towards safety. Irelia leapt forward, once again taking the brunt of the assault. We destroyed one tower, and the second began firing at me as Irelia staggered out of range, unable to withstand another hit. I summoned my runic shield to deflect the first shot and began hacking away at the base. Behind me, I heard Ashe's arrows zipping through the air as they made short work of the relatively lightly armored Nexus tower.

I took the second shot in the shoulder, but I withstood it. Forcing the pain aside I continued my ferocious attacks.

 _Almost there._

I slashed again, and pieces of stone fell away from the structure as it crumbled. Its third shot hit me directly in the chest, this time blasting me off my feet just as Ashe's arrows brought the structure down. I landed on my back and tumbled to a halt, momentarily dazed by the impact. Before me, Ashe and Irelia were attacking the exposed Nexus in earnest.

 _We've done it._ I thought, pulling myself up on one knee. _We've won!_

There was a whistling noise and Irelia cried out, clutching at a dagger that had appeared in her neck. She valiantly fought on, desperately trying to swing at the Nexus with the last of her strength. Then Katarina was behind her, appearing with a small flash of smoke as she struck her down with a single slash. She blinked again, this time behind Ashe, poised to strike again face tight with concentration.

"Behind you!" I yelled.

The Freljord Queen reacted with the reflexes of a huntress, ducking under the twin daggers and rolling away from the follow up attack. She loosed an arrow at the Nexus, which Katarina deflected with her blade.

The Nexus looked as though one more hit would destroy it, but Katarina was blocking Ashe and I knew I couldn't make it in time. Any second now the rest of the Noxian team would storm the base and it would all be over, and I felt Endal's despair in my mind as he reached the same conclusion. With that in mind, I did the only thing I could: With the last of my strength I hurled my sword at Katarina.

It was a stupid plan. Really, I couldn't even call it a plan, and by rights it shouldn't have worked. Katarina saw it coming and leapt out of the way with ease as my sword spun by, flying end over end through the air. It was only for a moment, but the distraction was enough. Ashe instantly notched another arrow and let fly, and this time there was no way Katarina could reach it in time.

The assassin immediately realized her mistake and spat a curse, desperately throwing a knife at the arrow as it buzzed towards the Nexus.

It must have been a one in a million throw, and I wouldn't have believed it had happened if I hadn't witnessed it myself. The projectiles collided mid flight and the arrow was deflected away, sent spinning off out of sight. Katarina lunged towards Ashe, daggers reaching for the kill as I stared, unable to do anything but watch.

Then the Nexus exploded. A massive eruption of energy sent the three of us sprawling, and I felt the enchantments empowering me fade as the match officially ended.

I was speechless for a moment, for I had seen Ashe's arrow knocked out of the sky. I could feel Endal's confusion mingle with my own and I glanced over towards the other two, seeking some kind of answer. Katarina looked just as confused as I did, but Ashe was smirking as she pulled herself to her feet.

"Two." She explained, holding up two fingers as she saw my expression. "I shot two arrows."

Comprehension dawned on Katarina and me and she fell spread eagle with a groan. I laughed, I couldn't help it. All the emotions I had kept pent up since this morning spilled out of me at once. It was the first time I'd laughed in months, and I couldn't have explained why I was doing it then any more than I could have stopped.

Ashe was still smirking, obviously pleased with her impressive feat of archery. After all, accurately loosing two arrows at once is a difficult task at the best of times, never mind with no preparation in the midst of a fight for your life.

Katarina sighed, speaking up from where she was laying on the ground.

"I can't even be upset about that." She admitted. "That was pretty damn impressive, Ice Queen."

She brought her hands up to cover her face, then continued. "I think this match took a few years off my life."

Her voice was mostly expressionless, but I could have sworn I heard a hint of humor coloring it. Apparently even Katarina couldn't keep a straight face after an ending like that.

 _You know,_ I thought, my mirth finally subsiding, _maybe she's not so bad after all._

We had won.

* * *

 **A/N As you may have noticed, I'm not taking the champion abilities literally from the game because I feel like that would be silly. Instead, I'm trying to interpret them in a form that makes more sense set in an actual narrative, as opposed to an action game.**

 **This officially concludes the setup/prologue for the main story. Lux will return in the next chapter, and she's here to stay. More allies will be joining our heroes shortly, and there are lots of cool things in the pipeline.**

 **Please leave a review! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.**


	5. Howling Spirit

The first thought I had upon being returned to my quarters in the Institute was that I was starving. With a groan of weariness I stood up and stretched, slowly feeling the strength come back to my limbs. Summoning really took it out of you, and the exhaustion of a match didn't wear off immediately. Through the haze of tiredness, however, the realization that we had won was beginning to dawn on me.

 _This is the first step._ I thought as I walked towards the door. _There won't be any more Ionian deaths on my account._

After I found some food I had to go see Lux, I decided. If she had been serious with her grand declarations earlier, this was exactly the chance we needed. This victory must have bought some time for Ionia, for Noxus wouldn't dare risk provoking the League into action by ignoring the terms of a match. No doubt they'd pull their forces back for the time being, while Swain and the rest of High Command concocted another excuse to send them in once more.

I opened the door still deep in thought, and only noticed Lux was standing just outside my room when I walked straight into her.

Lux squeaked in surprise and stumbled back a step, prompting me to reach out a hand to steady her.

"Forgive me." I apologized, then paused. "Um, why are you right in front of my door?"

"I wanted to congratulate you!" She beamed at me, and I was impressed at how quickly she'd regained her composure. "That match was incredible!"

"Ah… thanks."

I still wasn't used to Lux's apparent boundless supply of energy and enthusiasm. The match had drained me enough already.

"I take it you've decided to work with me, then?" She continued, still radiating an aura of excitement.

I blinked in surprise. "How did you know?"

"A guess, but I doubt you would've fought so hard if you had decided against it." She scanned me up and down. "I think I was right about you."

My stomach growled, and I decided to let that esoteric statement pass without comment.

"Lux," I started, a pained expression on my face. "Can we have this conversation later? I'm _starving._ "

* * *

"So remind me." I said, staring at the blonde girl sitting across the table from me. "Why are you here again?"

Lux spared me a glance, and then returned her gaze to the food she was consuming at an alarmingly rapid rate.

"Because." She said, pointing at herself. "I'm hungry too. Besides, now that we're going to be working together we should get to know each other."

I sighed but decided to concede defeat; I had a feeling any further discussion was just going to wear me out more. In any case we still needed to come up with a plan of action, and I didn't have the luxury of being able to take a day off.

 _Swain sure as hell won't be._ I thought grimly.

I glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot. There were plenty of champions seated at the surrounding tables, but none of them were paying us much attention.

"So," I said, lowering my voice and leaning forward a bit. "about our conversation this morning. What exactly do you have in mind?"

"Yes, well." Lux took a drink of water then set the cup down on the table. "I have a general plan, but I need you to tell me if it could work."

"What does it involve?"

"Well the first step would be for you to recruit as much of the Noxian population to the cause as possible."

"Me?" I asked skeptically. "What makes you think I could do that?"

"Let me ask something else first." Lux said, waving a hand as if to physically brush aside my question. "Do you think people in Noxus would be willing to fight to overthrow Swain and the rest of High Command?"

I gave this question serious consideration before replying, mentally thinking back to my days in Noxus. It didn't take long to come to a conclusion.

"I think they would." I replied, and was surprised at the confidence I had spoken with. "I remember hearing a lot of complaints in the barracks and on the march about how little High Command cared for the ranks. Soldiers were sent in waves against entrenched defenses to die, paving the way for the elites. Citizens who weren't in the army were treated as second class, and everywhere you looked there were power struggles and backstabbers."

"And no one did anything about it?" Lux asked.

"Oh some tried." I said, recalling the several desertions and mutinous mutterings that had been the norm in the Noxian military. "But open dissent is quelled immediately, and lethally. I doubt anything's changed since I... well since I left."

"I've heard reports of the recent conditions." Said Lux, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort. "Combined with what you're saying, I'm inclined to agree with you."

"So where do I come in?" I repeated.

"You're famous in Noxus." Lux pointed out. "As a strong warrior and as a symbol. You alone escaped the horrors Swain and the rest of High Command unleashed on the battlefield. You left, which was an open show of defiance to the current leadership. Now, to top it all off, you just dealt a humiliating defeat to the Noxian champions at the League. People will listen to you."

I sat there and considered what she was saying. Could I really return to Noxus and rally the citizens and soldiers against Swain? I had no doubt there were plenty of people who wanted him dead, myself included, but he had to have a huge number of loyal subjects as well. Even if it were possible, could I really inspire people to fight? I had commanded in battle before, but this would be different.

 _If no one does anything, Noxus will invade Ionia sooner or later._ I thought. _They'll invade, Ionians will die and Noxus will rot still further. I can't think about what I want to do, I should only think about what I_ can _do._

"I'll hear you out." I said at last. "Though if we do this, it _won't_ be easy."

Lux smiled wryly. "I'm not doing this because it's easy, Riven. I'm doing this because it's _right_."

I looked at her, seeing determination behind her cheerful exterior. The same determination I felt burn within me.

"Let's say I agree to this, what will you be doing?" I inquired. "You can hardly walk around Noxus handing out flyers."

"Oh I'll be there to help you with anything that comes up." Lux said with a grin. "We're in this together, after all. And don't worry about me being recognized, I'm quite good at disguises."

"Maybe so, but what about me?" I raised an eyebrow. "Like you said, I'm well known in Noxus. After the match today I doubt the guards, or anyone loyal to High Command for that matter, will be happy to see me. I very much doubt they'll just let me walk in."

"Actually, I have another idea for that." She winked at me. "I'll have to get back to you on it, though. I need to find out a few things first."

Something about the way she said that gave me a bad feeling, but before I could interject she spoke again.

"Say, will you have a practice duel with me?" She asked.

"Huh?" I responded, unable to follow the sudden topic change.

"Well I was thinking," She went on, voice serious now. "Noxians value strength, right? I saw yours in the match just now. I want to show you mine."

"I'd like that." I said after a moment's consideration. At the very least it'd be a good way for me to see what she was capable of. "But tomorrow. I'm exhausted." I continued as I slumped onto the table.

She hopped up from her seat, beaming once more. "Excellent! Well, I need to go make some arrangements. I'll stop by tomorrow to let you know how it's coming along."

I nodded, and then returned my attention to my food. Finally alone, I allowed myself to relax a little.

 _Maybe things will turn out alright._ I thought. _We did win the match, after all._

I spent my remaining time in the dining hall wondering how good of a fighter Lux was, and found I was anticipating our match with some eagerness. She seemed so confident, and I had a hunch she would be able to back it up.

As I walked out of the hall, I was somewhat surprised to notice that Katarina was sitting across from Ashe. I couldn't tell what they were talking about, but Katarina's energetic gestures didn't feel threatening.

 _Who knew those two got along?_

My eyes met Ashe's as I passed, and she nodded to me in what I supposed was a neutral greeting. I returned it and continued on my way, marveling at her rapid attitude change towards me.

I had just reached the door when it opened, and I found myself face to face with none other than Jericho Swain.

I froze in front of the doorway and felt my expression harden as we locked eyes. We stood there for several moments, and what I could see of his face behind his mask betrayed no anger or surprise. Then he shifted his long wooden staff to the side and stepped out of my way, holding the door open for me to walk through.

"Please," He rasped, in a perfect facsimile of courtesy. "Be my guest."

My fists clenched, though I managed to keep the anger off my face as I stepped by him without a word. I had just passed through the doorway when I heard it, a mocking whisper from behind my back.

"You have changed nothing, Exile."

Then the door was shut, and he was gone.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to shafts of sunlight filtering through my partially open curtains. With a groan I sat up, rubbing my eyes in an attempt to clear my head.

 _My match with Lux is today._ I thought, summoning the energy to pull myself out of bed. _I'll have to set things up with Endal._

I glanced over at the sword propped against the wall, within easy reach of the bed. I still needed to ask him about _that_ as well. I was more curious than concerned about the recent changes in my blade, but even so I felt it'd be best to gain some level of understanding of its recent displays of new magical power.

I cleaned up and was ready to leave in only a few minutes, propping my sword against my shoulder as I exited my quarters. It was still fairly early in the morning, and the halls of the independent champion wing were empty. I made my way back to the Institute proper, retracing my steps through the hallways Endal had lead my through the day before. Eventually, after a couple wrong turns and some backtracking, I found myself at the door to his office once more.

I knocked twice and heard the sound of footsteps approaching. A moment later the door opened, revealing Endal wearing the standard purple summoner robes that I had grown quite used to seeing over the past several months. If he was surprised to see me this early in the morning he didn't show it, instead beckoning me in with a wave of his hand and gesturing for me to sit.

"I didn't get a chance to congratulate you on your victory, yesterday." He said, seating himself behind his desk and rifling through a few sheets of parchment. "I'm very glad that the match turned out the way it did."

"You helped a lot." I said, setting my sword down on the floor beside me. "If it weren't for you, I doubt we would have won."

"Maybe so. Either way, I'm glad we did. Now," He leaned forward, putting an elbow on his desk as continued. "what can I do for you?"

I picked up my sword and offered it to him. "You saw what happened yesterday, on the Rift." I said as I handed it over. "That's happened twice now, and I was wondering if you could tell me anything about it."

"Yes, I was curious about that." He ran a hand over the rune carved into the steel as he spoke. "Actually I did some preliminary investigation last night, give me a moment."

Endal placed the sword on his desk and closed his eyes, holding his right hand just above the rune. A soft blue glow enveloped the blade as he muttered a few words. A few seconds later the light vanished, and he looked up at me with a satisfied expression.

"I'm not too familiar with Noxian sorcery, or how they forge these blades." He began, handing it back to me. "But when your sword reformed yesterday, I thought I felt some vestiges of summoning magic."

"Summoning magic?" I asked, a little confused. "I thought that was one of the most complicated fields of arcane study."

Endal nodded. "So it is. Even so, it seems that yesterday your sword summoned the fragments of its former self, reforging it, in a way. My examination just now all but confirms that, and I must say I'm impressed. Whoever made this blade must have been powerful indeed to cast such an enchantment."

I looked down at the sword I was holding, inspecting it myself. It didn't seem any different.

"Do you know why it reformed during the battle?" I asked.

"Perhaps your blade sensed you needed it." He said, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You speak as if it's alive, with a will of its own."

"That may not be entirely untrue." Endal said. "You see, powerful enchantments such as the one imbued in your blade have been known to bond with the user over time. You could think of this sword as an extension of you, in a way. It reacts to your commands does it not?"

I nodded, and he shrugged. "It's just a theory, if you'd like I can summon you for a practice session and we can experiment."

"Actually," I said, looking up from my sword and stood up. "I'll be having a practice duel with Lux today, that'll be as good a time as any."

Endal raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on what had to be surprising news. I'd never had a practice session with anyone before, much less a Demacian. He took it in stride though, standing up and walking to the door.

"Excellent, come to the summoning chambers when you're ready then. I'll be around."

I nodded and made to exit, then paused and looked back at him from the doorway. "Thanks for the help, Endal."

He smiled slightly "It's the least I can do. Good day, Riven."

"Good day." I replied, then stepped through the door.

* * *

I wasn't surprised to see Lux standing in front of the door to my quarters when I returned, what did surprise me was the sight of the blond young man beside her. I was on better terms with Ezreal than most of the other champions in the League, mostly due to a mutual respect for each other's abilities earned through hard battles fought on the same team. Even so, I rarely spoke to him outside of the Rift and could only assume Lux had a good reason for bringing him with her.

"Good morning!" She said brightly. "I have good news, may we come in?"

I nodded and led them into my quarters, passing Ezreal with an affable nod. Once inside, I shut the door and turned to Lux expectantly.

"So?" I asked, waiting for her to explain.

"Yesterday we were discussing the difficulties that lie in entering Noxus." She began, then gestured at the champion standing beside her. "I think I have a solution. I explained everything to Ezreal, and he thinks he can be of some help."

I looked back at Ezreal, who was regarding me with an expression of great interest. I didn't know anything about him other than his battlefield prowess, but if Lux trusted him enough to let him in on our plans I wasn't about to object. She didn't seem the type to have misplaced confidences.

"We've met on the Rift a few times." Ezreal said, holding his hand out for me to shake. "Nice to officially meet you, Riven."

I didn't sense any hostility in his voice. Indeed, he seemed so laid back one would think he was introducing himself at some casual social gathering. I wondered if there was something going on inside his head behind his relaxed expression, but if there was I could catch no sign of it.

"Ah, likewise," I said, realizing I had been silent for several seconds and shaking his hand. "I'm glad you'll be helping us, you fight well."

He shook his head, and I saw a flicker of anger in his eyes. "Well someone has to help the Ionians, and it sure won't be the Institute." A slight grin returned to his face. "Besides, Lux asked me. She has a way of asking things that makes agreeing the only answer.

I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards in a smile. "Now that you mention it, she is quite a forceful person."

Lux rolled her eyes, seating herself on the edge of my bed. "Anyway, Ezreal here likes exploring. He knows of a surreptitious passage into the city proper, and has agreed to help us get in."

I nodded in understanding. Noxus was too old a city to not have hidden ways to enter and exit with, though the problem usually lay in finding those routes. The people who constructed hidden passages, after all, tended to have a strong desire to keep them that way. If what Lux said was true, though, this could be a great opportunity.

"I think I'll be able to get us into the city undetected." Ezreal was saying. "After that, it's up to you two. I don't have many contacts in Noxus, never gotten along with the people there. No offense." He quickly added, looking at me.

I gave him a tight smile, Noxians weren't known for their welcoming culture.

"So, we have a way in." Lux said to me. "Do you know who to speak to first? Any old friends?"

Friends. I knew the word but had never really understood its meaning. There were comrades I had fought beside, superiors I had obeyed, and instructors I had respected. Beyond that, my interpersonal relations were limited at best. Still, I had given the matter some thought during the previous night and had come to the conclusion that seeking out veterans of the initial Noxian and Ionian conflict would be a good place to start. I recalled that William Zhur, the company commander of the 12th regiment of foot had voiced many objections during the campaign, and I had known others in his unit as well. Sera Cahl, June Sein, and Rodger Harr. After the hardships and injustices they surely had faced, they were a good place to start.

"I have a few people in mind." I replied after another moment's consideration.

"Excellent!" Lux clapped her hands and smiled. "Well we can sort the details out later. For now, you and I have a match to attend."

Ezreal accompanied us to the summoning room, claiming an interest in watching our battle. From his demeanor, though, I gathered that he really wanted to gauge our true abilities for himself. I had intended to perform my best in any case, as the prospect of losing a match to anyone, even Lux, didn't sit well with me.

 _If all it takes to impress our allies is a demonstration of martial prowess,_ I thought wryly, _perhaps our mission isn't as impossible as it seems._

With that thought in mind, Lux, Ezreal and I entered the chamber to meet with the summoners who would be assisting in setting up the duel.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear armor?" Lux asked as I made to walk over to Endal, who was speaking quietly to another robed summoner. "This isn't a League match."

As it was a private training match, we had opted to forgo the usual enhancements granted by summoners and items. Lux had pointed out that in the coming battles, we would have to rely on our own skills and had to get used to fighting with the handicap again. Because of that the contest today would be fought just like a real battle, which probably made my decision to remain unarmored seem dubious at best. I had considered it, going so far as to retrieve the Noxian plate mail from the recesses of my quarters, but one look at the battle scarred and charred steel had released a flood of bitter memories best left untouched.

"I don't have any in condition to wear." I told her, putting enough truth into the statement to forestall further questioning. "But I am used to fighting unarmored. It will not be a hindrance."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? We'll have to see about acquiring some for you."

I grunted noncommittally, for I had never liked the oppressive feeling of being fully armored in the first place.

"Well, let's get started!" Lux said, apparently ignoring my lack of enthusiasm and hopping away to a portly robed figure who welcomed her with a raised hand and a smile.

Vaguely wondering if she ever ran out of energy, I walked over to Endal with Ezreal in tow.

"Are you ready?" The summoner asked as I drew closer.

I nodded, and he gestured for me to stand in a circle of runes inlaid on the stone floor.

"Can't you summon us from anywhere?" I inquired, stepping into position.

"Yes, but this way is much less taxing." He replied as he began his preparations.

Ezreal put his hand on my shoulder as the runes started to glow underfoot, and I looked over to see a serious expression adorning his boyish features.

"Be careful." He warned, voice low so only I could hear. "She's more dangerous than she looks."

I glanced over at Lux, who was standing in a similar circle several yards away chatting animatedly with one of the summoners. Despite the Demacian plate mail she wore, she didn't look like a warrior. Even so I was inclined to agree with Ezreal, something about her omnipresent carefree attitude was unnerving.

"I'll be on guard." I replied, and he released me with a grin.

"I've seen you fight." He said with a laugh as he stepped away. "You'll be fine."

There was a flash of light, and my surroundings disappeared.

* * *

I opened my eyes to see flurries of snow falling around me, flakes slowly accumulating on the frozen stone that made up the summoning platform. It was my first visit to the Howling Abyss, and I was struck by how bleak it looked. None of the bright colors of Summoner's Rift were present here, just various shades of gray and white.

There were some similarities, however. The Nexus in front of me was identical to the ones I had fought to defend and destroy countless times on the Rift. In the distance, I could see towers stretching out across a narrow stone lane that spanned the chasm beneath me. As I walked out of the base I paused to peer over the side of the bridge into the abyss, seeing nothing but a pale blue mist and icy cliff walls stretching ever downwards. I felt a shiver run through me that had nothing to do with the cold, and resolved to keep away from the edge.

 _Everything alright, Riven?_ I heard Endal ask in my mind.

 _Yes._ I replied. _Remember, no helping out. This is my fight._

 _I know. Don't worry about the towers, we deactivated them for you two._ He paused, and I sensed an inner conflict. In the end, he just sent: _Let me know when you're ready to return._

 _I will._ I said, and felt the connection shrink to barely a trickle. If I needed to I could reach out to Endal, but in effect I was on my own. With a small pang I realized I had grown used to his support on the battlefield, and was increasingly glad I had taken up Lux's offer to fight. I needed this.

Lux came into my vision a minute later, leaning against a powered down tower in the middle of the bridge. Seeing me approach she waved a hand and jogged towards me, expertly twirling a long baton in her hands as she called out.

"Cold here, isn't it?"

I was still getting used to her constant chatter, and only nodded in response as I rested the tip of my sword on the ground. She stopped about 5 yards from me, an anticipatory grin on her face. I found myself wondering if she enjoyed fighting, or if her cheeriness was a cover for something else.

"Before we start," She said. "let's agree to try and avoid the killing blow."

"Agreed." I replied. Even though our summoners would be able to revive us here, dying wasn't a pleasant experience.

I turned and took several steps away from her, pausing when I head Lux's questioning voice.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm giving you some room." I said, a little confused at her lack of understanding. "You're a mage, it's not fair if we start next to each other."

Lux raised an eyebrow. "Ohh?" She smirked. "Feel free to give me whatever handicap you want. I'll not go easy on you."

I felt a small smile flash across my face as well at her playful banter. "You'd better not."

 _Never a dull moment with her._ I thought, as we prepared to begin. _This is going to be interesting._

I turned to face her and readied my sword, a distance of at least ten yards between us now. Lux raised her baton to chest height, holding it out to the right side of her body as she entered a combat stance. I stood still, waiting for the right moment to act.

A chill gust of wind blew across the bridge, bringing with it a small flurry. Lux blinked, angling her head away as snow flew into her face. Seeing the opening I leapt into action, jumping forwards with sword raised high as I sought to close the gap between us.

Lux reacted instantly, shooting a strand of light from the end of her baton straight towards me. It caught me by surprise and, in midstep as I was, there was no way to avoid it. The strand wrapped around my forearms and pulled them tightly together, the abrupt force wrenching my sword from my grasp. The weapon clattered to the ground but I continued forward, closing to striking distance unarmed.

 _I underestimated her._ I thought, as Lux brought the other glowing end of her baton to bear on me at point blank. _But you made a mistake letting me get this close, Lux!_

With my hands still bound by her spell I threw my left elbow out, knocking aside her weapon. The look of surprise on her face told me she hadn't expected such an unhesitating rush into danger, but true Noxians didn't falter in battle. I took a final step towards her and brought my fists up together, catching her under the chin with a powerful uppercut as I smashed into her. Lux staggered backwards, uttering a sharp cry as she struggled to remain upright. Unable to use my arms to balance me, I crashed to the ground and rolled to absorb the impact. I only had moments until she recovered, and scanned the ground for my sword.

There! It had skidded to the side of the bridge and now lay only a few yards away from me. As quickly as I could I crawled over to it, instinctively bringing the arcane bonds to the edge of the steel. They yielded with little resistance, though whether due to the power in my blade or a falter in Lux's concentration I didn't know. Once freed, I grabbed the handle of my blade just as I heard a crackling noise behind me.

I threw myself to the side and rolled to my feet as an explosion of light enveloped where I had been lying a moment before. I spun to face Lux, who had apparently recovered enough composure to renew her assault, and charged forwards with a yell. She released a series of magical bolts towards me, and my sword blazed with runic energy as a shield sprang to life around me. It deflected the first projectile as I continued my dash, and another one shattered my barrier just as I leapt out of the way of a third. Then I was in front of Lux once more, and I swung my sword down on her with all my might.

 _BANG._

She parried the strike with her baton, and a whirlwind of energy leapt out from the point of impact, knocking me off balance. I spun with the force of the blast, bringing my sword to bear once more on her unprotected flank. Lux sprang backwards and I continued my assault, pushing her back with swing after swing until she stood with backed against the edge of the bridge, the abyss looming behind her.

"Yah!"

I stabbed towards her chest but Lux's body shimmered with magical protection as she cast a new spell, baton weaving expertly through the air as she spoke a brief incantation. My sword deflected to the side and there was a blinding explosion of light as she struck back with a counter. Hot pain lanced through my body but I didn't falter, stepping in once more and willing my sword to act. The rune shone brightly and a burst of energy leapt out in all directions, breaking through Lux's shield and staggering her.

 _You're mine!_ I thought, leaping forwards to seize the win with a strike she couldn't possibly dodge.

A noise like a thunderbolt split the air and the world suddenly tilted as the stone beneath us began to give way, unable to weather the onslaught of magical energy pouring into it. A spider web of cracks appeared beneath me, prompting me to halt my attack and sprint for more stable ground. I felt the bridge beneath me begin to fall and released my sword as I dove for safety, arms outstretched in an attempt to grab on to the edge of the fracture.

I seized the rim of the remaining portion of the bridge as the large chunk we had been standing on fell away, my body hanging suspended over the abyss below. The weakened stone creaked with protest as it bore my weight, and I struggled to pull myself up before it broke free as well.

I had just swung one leg over the side when the entire section collapsed, and I fell backwards into the darkness.

* * *

Wind and snow rushed by me as I plummeted downwards, tumbling end over end past large chunks of what had formerly been the bridge. Fear clawed at my mind, but I struggled to force it down as I gained ever more speed.

 _Riven!_ A voice in my mind reached out to me. _Hang on, I'll get you to safety!_

I continued to fall, my surroundings a confusing blur as I flew by. Through sheer force of will I pushed the fear from me, spreading my arms and legs to slow my descent as I scanned the chasm below for a sign of Lux or my sword.

 _No!_ I shot at Endal as I began to feel the summoning magic take hold. _This isn't over._

 _Are. You. Mad?!_ His voice was a roar in my mind, and I could feel his incredulous exasperation.

 _I will not back down._ I thought to him, and cut the link. For a moment I thought he would disregard my words and summon me back anyway, but a moment later I felt the magic recede.

I couldn't back down now. I had only just met Lux, but I was sure she wouldn't resign under any circumstances. Furthermore, this match was partly to get myself adjusted to fighting in the real world once more, and I couldn't rely on Endal to save me. My determination grew as I saw the green glow of my blade falling beneath me, and the inkling of a plan formed in my mind. I quickly glanced at the cliff walls stretching far below me, taking in the details as my mind raced, and spied a distant ledge.

It was insane, but my situation didn't permit me to spend any more time thinking. With renewed resolve I tilted my body forwards, accelerating even faster towards my falling weapon. I edged closer, the pale blue glow emanating from the chasm the only source of illumination.

 _I'll only get one chance at this._ I thought, reaching out my hand as I approached. _Come on!_

With a roar of triumph lost to the wind, my fingers curled around the leather hilt of my blade.

 _YES!_ I thought, my heart beating as fast as I'd ever felt it. _Now I-._

Something slammed into me from behind, sending me spinning through the air. Adrenaline spiked within me as I felt an arm wrap around my body from behind, a new yellow light illuminating the air around me.

 _Lux!_

I twisted in her grip, turning to face her as she swung her glowing baton down at me. With reflexes born of desperation, I brought the flat of my blade up in front of me just in time to deflect the blow. Sparks flew as the weapons collided and I saw Lux's face, hard in concentration but free of fear. In a flash I replied with a strike of my own, which she parried expertly. We exchanged a flurry of blows as we plummeted together into the dim depths of the abyss, and I desperately sought an opening to disengage.

 _I don't have time for this!_

I feinted a strike at her arm, then struck her in a gap in her armor with my fist. I saw her eyes widen with sudden pain, and I used the distraction to kick free of her grasp. Quickly looking below, I saw the ledge I had noticed earlier was fast approaching. I had to act now.

Angling myself towards the chasm wall, I drifted towards it, being careful not to gather so much speed as to hit it. I shuddered at the thought then pushed away the distraction, and began pouring my emotions into the blade I held in my right hand. I focused my entire being on it, compressing my thoughts into just three words.

 _I. Will. Live!_

My sword responded to my resolve, erupting with runic energy as the now familiar reforged blade burst into being. I didn't hesitate one moment, willing the aura around my weapon to strengthen as I drew ever closer to the icy wall of the abyss.

 _Almost there. Almost there…Now!_

I reversed my grip on the hilt of my sword, summoned the runic shield into being around me, and stabbed the blade with all the strength my arms possessed straight into the cliff face. The impact felt like it was ripping my arms free of their sockets, and the rapid deceleration smashed my legs against the cliff face, only saved by the magical shield projected around them by the blade. A normal sword would have snapped instantly, but the Noxian sorcery held my weapon together as it sunk into the stone, tearing a jagged gash downwards as I continued to fall at tremendous speed.

With a giant shower of sparks and a horrible screeching noise audible even above the rushing wind I continued to slow, focusing with all my being on keeping the sword lodged in the cliff face as I descended towards the rapidly approaching ledge beneath me. My arms screamed in pain, but I somehow managed to remain holding on as my downward progress got slower and slower. I was 500 feet above the ledge, 300 feet, 100, 50…

My sword was torn from my grasp as it snagged on an irregular outcropping of stone, and I flipped backwards from the impact. My blade flew spinning off into the abyss as I freefell once more, landing on my back in a large snow drift covering the shelf protruding from the wall of the chasm. The force of the fall winded me, and for a few moments I couldn't summon the will to do anything other than lay in the snow and feel amazed.

I had survived. I had actually survived.

As I stared upwards towards the sky, I caught sight of a rapidly approaching glint of light. It was Lux, casting some sort of spell at a furious rate as her descent slowed, heading directly towards the ledge I was laying on. It seemed the contest wasn't over yet.

I struggled to my feet, then immediately collapsed as my left leg collapsed under me, white hot pain lancing through it: It seemed I hadn't escaped my ordeal without harm after all. I stood once more, favoring my right leg, and struggled out of the snow drift and on to firmer ground. I looked up as I emerged just in time to see Lux, still falling rapidly, curl up into a ball as a magical shield blossomed to life around her. She impacted the ledge with bone shattering force and I saw her baton go flying, landing far out of reach.

 _Now's my chance!_ I thought, ignoring the pain and running forwards as fast as my wounded leg would allow.

Lux emerged from the small crater she had made, still dazed from the hard landing as I approached. She shook her head as if to clear her mind, looking up in time to see me bearing down on her. The mage reacted with battleborn quickness, taking an unsteady but fast step away from me and holding out her hand in the direction of her baton. At her command it flew towards her, seeking to reunite with its master as it spun through the air

"No you don't!" I yelled, tackling her to the ground as the baton whizzed by my head and into the darkness of the abyss beyond. Lux grunted in pain, falling onto her back and pulling her legs up under me so her feet were planted on my chest. I tried to twist away but it was too late: She rolled backwards and kicked hard, and I executed a full one hundred and eighty degree flip before landing with a thud on my back, rolling into the wall of the cliff.

I dragged myself to my feet, adrenaline masking the pain wracking my body as Lux advanced towards me, weaponless. She clenched her fists as she approached, face completely serious now, and a _snap-hiss_ sliced the air as what seemed to be two short blades of light emerged from her wrists. She charged, slashing towards me with her right blade. I ducked as it sliced clean through the cliff wall behind me, and Lux followed up with a stab towards my midriff with her left: It was an expert, well executed strike, but I was more skilled than her at fighting at this range. I deflected her forearm with my own before the blade hit home, feeling a searing heat emanating from the magical projection as it grazed by my side.

Following up, I grabbed her left arm as it overshot me and pulled hard, knocking the mage off balance. She stumbled towards me right into the knee I brought up into her lightly armored chest, causing her to double over. Before she could recover I stunned her with an elbow strike to the temple, finishing with a tackle that sent her sprawling as I pinned her arms to the ground. Lux strained to break free for a moment, and then relaxed as she realized it was over.

She nodded slightly to me, signaling her forfeit and I rolled off of her to stare up at the distant sky above, breathing heavily as the exertion took its toll. We both lay there for a few moments, side by side, and I was struck by the complete absurdity of our fight. Lux began giggling softly beside me, and I painfully rolled onto my side to look at her. She stared back, still laughing, and I couldn't help but grin back.

"You know, Riven." She said, looking over at me with a bemused expression on her face. "I had my doubts about what we're trying to do, but after this," She waved her hand in the air. "I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"I know _exactly_ what you mean." I replied, and then added dryly. "And promise me, if we ever duel again, it _won't_ be here."

We laughed together, both too exhausted to move as the summoning light enveloped both of us.

 **A/N: This was a long one, and it was a lot of fun to write. I hope you enjoyed the action as much as I did! Next time, our heroes will most likely be attempting to infiltrate Noxus. Thanks to Ezreal, they now have a way inside! Please let me know what you think with a review, I appreciate all the feedback I get.**


	6. Fury Company

**_A/N We're back! Flashback edition._**

 _3 Days Later_

The evening sun bathed the eastern road in a crimson light, stretching my shadow into an unfamiliar streak. Beside me, Lux and Ezreal chatted amicably as we journeyed together towards Noxus. Only a few days ago the three of us had been making preparations to take a short leave of absence from the Institute and, following the approval of the High Summoners, we had set out at once. Now, walking towards my former home for the first time since my exile, memories began surfacing unbidden in my mind.

* * *

 _Several months ago: Ionian war front._

"Pick up the pace, lackwits!" The voice of Master Seargant Krelwick boomed out over the ranks of Fury Company at a truly impressive volume. "If anyone breaks rank before the charge, it's twenty lashes when we get back to camp!"

I heard a few snickers from my comrades in arms, and had to fight to keep my own face expressionless. The Sargent loved his threats of terrible retribution for the slightest of misdemeanors, but he never carried them out. What he did do, however, was give anyone slacking off a truly exhausting extra training regime, and I felt rather than saw my fellow soldiers increase the speed of their steps. The elite company marched onward towards the Ionian ranks, footsteps falling in perfect synchronization with the beat of the war drum.

I felt an elbow dig in to my side and looked over to see Private Lance grinning at me. "Lighten up, Sarge." He said, resuming his march is perfect parade ground style. "Anyone ever tell you you're too serious?"

 _These guys never change._ I thought, turning away from him without giving a response. _Even on the battlefield they were always joking around._

Still, being too tense could be the difference between life and death in war. The elites of Fury Company knew how to handle the strain, so I wouldn't begrudge my underlings their fun. They would do their job when it counted, they always did.

"Yeah Sarge." On my other side, Private Coor was speaking up as well. "Smiling is good for you, you should try it sometime."

I heard another few chuckles from the surrounding men and women, but kept my face impassive. On the inside, however, I was fighting to keep back a grin. It wouldn't do to let the ranks know their Sargent was going soft now, would it?

The past few weeks had been a mixture of incredibly boring periods of marching and waiting, interspersed with the chaos of frenzied battle. War wasn't pretty, and we all had seen things we'd rather had not, but we were Noxians: If High Command issued an order, we would follow it. Still, it couldn't hurt to put them at ease a little.

This was supposed to be the final engagement between our forces. After weeks of skirmishes, the armies of Noxus and Ionia were finally settling the conflict in open field. If the soldiers of Fury Company could just survive one more battle, they'd get to go home, and it was my job to make sure that happened. Throughout the campaign, my no nonsense attitude towards training and command had become something of a legend amongst the ranks. I didn't see what the huge deal was, since I had been taught officers were supposed to remain stoic in front of their commands, but apparently they thought I was taking the idea to its extreme.

 _In that case..._

"Private Lance, Private Coor." I said, addressing the man and woman next to me. "Are you aware that failure to show proper respect to officers in the Noxian military is a class 2 misdemeanor?"

I kept my voice casual, as if merely remarking upon the day's weather. The two privates exchanged sightly worried glances.

"Ah, no." Private Lance replied, in a calming tone. "We were just messing arou-"

"As I'm sure you know," I continued, speaking over him. "a class 2 misdemeanor carries a minimum penalty of 5 lashes for a first offence."

"Sarge, we-" Private Coor began, but I wasn't done.

"Well, it looks like Sergant Krelwick will have two people to report to the post in the evening after all!" I finished, adopting a tone of relief. "At least we didn't erect it for nothing, right?"

There was silence around me, save for the drum beat and the sound of footsteps as the ranks pressed ever onward. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw several soldiers shoot nervous glances at me, then look away quickly. Lashes were a rare and serious occurrence in Fury Company.

"Sargent Riven." Someone behind me spoke up, no doubt bravely risking the ire of a strict officer to attempt to defuse the situation. "I'm sure-"

"Just kidding." I said with a straight face.

There was a metallic clatter and a grunt of annoyance. Apparently Private Lance had been so monumentally surprised by my response that he had forgotten to keep marching, and the woman behind him had walked right into him. A chorus of laughter swept the ranks around us and he quickly fell back into step, his cheeks flushing crimson.

"The Sarge got you good there!" Someone called out, and I smiled a little as I felt the soldiers around me relax. I thought back to the months of training I had drilled into them, every day spent working towards gaining the critical experience that could be the difference between life and death on the battlefield. I had done all I could for them, now it was in the hands of fate.

From the rear ranks came a chorus of trumpets, sounding the prepare to charge. I drew my weapon, eyes forward once more, seeing the mass of Ionian troops drawing ever nearer. They were close enough now that I could pick out individuals, men and women that would soon be fighting for their life. For a brief moment, doubt flashed through my mind.

 _So much death._ I thought. _Is it really necessary?_

I had seen many terrible things over the past few weeks, and I feared it had begun to shake my resolve. Clearing my mind, I forced the intrusive thoughts out of my head. If the Ionians were foolish enough to resist the might of Noxus, that was their problem. I would not allow my loyalty to waver.

The trumpets blared a long, warbling tone, and Fury Company charged as one towards the enemy.

* * *

 _A Short While Later_

"Yaaaah!"

I slashed my sword down on an Ionian soldier, shattering his weapon and felling him with a single strike. Just as I pulled my weapon from the corpse, a cry of pain rang out from my right and I turned to see Private Coor fall to the ground, an armored figure bearing down on her for the kill.

 _No you don't!_

My great sword wasn't in position to strike, but I didn't need it. With a powerful leap I cannoned into the back of the Ionian knight, sending us both tumbling to the ground as the clamor of battle raged around us. I rolled to absorb the impact, turning and bringing my sword to bear on the fallen enemy before me. He was quick, raising himself onto one knee and hefting his long sword into a parry position even as my blade slashed down on him.

There was a ringing clash of steel on steel as my blow was deflected, and I took a step back to avoid the precise counter that followed. The Ionian's blade whooshed in front of me, and I saw the man's eyes widen behind his helmet as I effortlessly dodged his powerful attack.

 _That won't work on me._ I thought coldly, bringing myself back into striking distance with another step. _This is what you get for attacking one of my subordinates!_

Once again, a single blow was all it took. The Noxian blade passed through armor and body alike with little resistance, and my unnamed foe fell in a shower of blood.

Now granted a momentary reprieve from the chaos raging on all sides I knelt down by Private Coor, who was clutching her chest with a red stained hand, face pale and sweaty.

"Come one Private!" I urged, draping one of her arms around my shoulder as I lifted her to her feet. "Hang in there!"

"Never knew-" She wheezed, then coughed violently, splattering the ground with red liquid. "Never knew you cared so much Sarge..."

 _Of course I do!_ I thought, dragging her towards the rear away from the thick of the fight. _Why do you think I drilled you so hard?!_

I had never been good at dealing with emotions, whether they were mine or others. In response, I had decided long ago to express them as little as possible. After all, I reasoned, a Noxian soldier should remain calm and objective at all times. Maybe I was just taking the easy way out.

But now, carrying my bleeding comrade through a hellish battlefield, I couldn't help but regret the circumstances that had led a women like her into this terrible place.

"Stay with me!" I yelled, increasing my pace as her eyes fluttered. "Damnit Coor, I didn't give you permission to die!"

"Sir, yes sir..." She mumbled weakly, but her eyes brightened a little bit as she forced back the calling void. I felt relieved, there was still a chance. I just had to get her to the medics back at the camp-

"Sarge!" A voice called out in front of me, and I looked up to see an Private Lance sprinting towards me. "Sarge, we're cut off!"

"What happened?" I snapped. Private Coor stumbled and I pulled her upright, trying to gauge how much time she had left. With as much blood as she'd lost already, if the medics didn't get to her in a few minutes she wouldn't make it.

 _I don't have time for this right now!_

Private Lance stopped in front of me, continuing his report. "A Division! They hit our left flank and circled behind us!"

I analyzed the situation in a moment. Being isolated on the battlefield only gave you two choices: Adopt a defensive formation and hold out until reinforcements arrived, or charge through the enemy ranks in an attempt to find allies. Fury Company didn't have the numbers to break through an Ionian division without taking massive losses, but if we were defensive...

"Form up!" I roared, projecting my voice over the din of battle. "Infantry square!"

The soldiers on Fury Company responded with an almost uncanny speed, forming an outward facing formation with expert precision. As they fell back into rank, I lay the Private on the ground and looked up at my subordinate.

"How long until reinforcements arrive?"

"It shouldn't be more than a minute." Private Lance wiped away blood that had trickled down from a cut on his forehead. "We should be able to hold out."

I could hear the sounds of combat in every direction, but we were insulated from the fray by the ranks of Fury Company. Sure enough, we seemed to be holding steady under the onslaught.

 _Come on._ I thought desperately as Private Coor bit back another cry of pain. _Where's our backup?!_

Ten seconds past, then twenty. I strained my ears, expecting to hear the sound of reinforcements breaking through the Ionian line at any second, but the only sounds were that of the continuing battle around me.

 _I have to do something._ I realized. _Help may not get here in time._

"Look after Coor." I told Private Lance, and began pushing my way through the ranks towards the sound of combat. I heard him call after me, his voice loud and worried.

"Where are you going?!"

"To lead the char-!"

 **BOOM!**

An explosion ripped through the Ionian ranks before me, and smell even fouler than that of the battlefield assaulted my senses. Screams of agony tore at my ears, and I stared in horror as I saw the enemy soldiers collapse, armor melting as if it were no more than wax.

 _Wha-_

Another explosion, then another. More screams, more death, and my brain belatedly realized what was going on.

 _No._ I thought. _They wouldn't, they wouldn't!_

The chemical weapons rained down on friend and foe alike, killing and maiming all who came into contact with the acidic ooze. I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move even as the hellish spectacle played out before me eyes.

 _I have to save them. I have to get them out of here!_

"Private Lance!" I yelled, turning back and running towards him. He turned his terrified expression towards me, and I gestured at him to help Private Coor up. "We need to-!"

There was a bright flash, a loud bang, and everything went black.

* * *

The next thing I knew I was on the ground, and a metallic taste burned in my mouth. I couldn't see or hear anything, and I tried to grasp what was happening.

 _Am I dead?_

I tried to sit up, but found that there was something large and heavy laying on top of me. With a monumental effort I pushed it aside, blinking rapidly to bring my vision back into focus as light suddenly returned to the world around me. What I saw would haunt me in my sleep for months to come.

The bodies were everywhere. Some disfigured, some burned, all gruesome. I had never seen anything like it, and it took me several moments to even process what I was taking in.

Then the smell hit me.

I vomited, leaning on my sword hilt to remain upright as I retched onto the charred ground. I remained like that for almost a minute, the nausea so strong I couldn't even think. Finally, it seemed my stomach had nothing left to give, and the sensation receded somewhat. I took a deep breath, unsuccessfully trying to calm myself, and forced myself to look around again.

Noxian and Ionian bodies alike were strewn across the ground as far as I could see. A tattered standard stuck into the dirt a short distance away fluttered mournfully, and pools of acrid chemicals bubbled in noxious puddles. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get away from this place of nightmares, but I hadn't escaped unscathed either.

I was starting to regain some sensation, and pain wracked me from head to toe. I couldn't bring myself to investigate what horrors the chemical weapons had wreaked upon my body, so instead I tried to stand up. I leaned on my sword more heavily, digging the tip into the ground as it supported my weight and, refusing to look at the massacred corpses around me, began stumbling away.

I had no idea where I was going. No plan, no conscious thoughts even. All I knew was that I needed to get out of this horror filled world.

 _Why...? Why did this happen...?_

I staggered forwards, forcing myself to keep moving. If I stopped here, I would die. A part of me thought that wouldn't be so bad, but my instincts kept me moving even as my mind longed for the kind escape of death.

 _Why...?_

* * *

 _Present Day_

"Riven? Riven!"

"Huh?" I shook my head, clearing the vivid memory from my mind. I felt sick to my stomach, I always did when I thought about what had happened that day.

Lux and Ezreal were looking at me concern, and I spoke up again before they could ask anything.

"What do you need?"

Lux frowned at me, for once a smile was absent from her face.

"We were just saying this would be a good place to make camp. We'll be at Noxus by tomorrow afternoon, so we should rest while we can."

"Ah, yes." I said, still a little distracted. "We'll rest here then."

Ezreal took a step towards me. "Are you-?"

I waved him away with a sharp gesture. "I'm fine." I sat down, forcing the same expressionless mask onto my face I had worn for so many years. "Just a little tired."

Lux and Ezreal seemed to accept this, and moved off to prepare the camp for the night. I realized with a start that my heart was racing and I was sweating. With an inward sigh I lay back on the grass, breathing deep, calming breaths. Slowly, my heart rate returned to something more normal, and I closed my eyes.

 _Some revolutionary I am._ I thought disgustedly. _I can't even walk to Noxus without completely breaking down._

I was so caught up with my self criticism, I didn't notice there was a newcomer until he spoke up.

"Are you Riven?" At the sound of the man's voice I sat back up, looking around. A tall man with long black hair and a curved blade stood a good 20 feet away, ignoring Lux's suspicious gaze.

I stood up, resisting the urge to draw my sword. Something about this man seemed familiar.

"I am." I replied steadily, meeting his hard gaze evenly.

"I am Yasuo." He intoned. "And I am here to kill you."

 **A/N Hope you enjoyed the chapter, decided to take a bit of a detour to give Riven some more characterization. To say the least, she was a bit more normal before the war. Please leave a review, even just letting me know people are enjoying it makes me want to write it more.**


	7. Wind Across the Battlefield

His sword moved with a blur as the man leapt, covering the distance between us with a single bound as wind rushed around him. Only years of training saved my life, and I felt my body dive to the side even as my mind was still processing that I was being attacked. The blade stabbed through where I had been but a moment before as I rolled to my feet, drawing my sword and spinning towards my foe. Another strike slashed towards me with incredible speed and I brought my blade up to deflect it, the weapons clashing with the ringing peel of steel against steel. Off to the side Lux and Ezreal were shouting something, but this was no time to allow myself to be distracted.

I blocked another strike, taking a step back from the ferocity of his assault as I brought my blade back up into a defensive position. The man hadn't moved to follow up his third attack and I looked up as I settled into a loose fighting stance. Our gaze met, and I was surprised by the complete lack of expression on his face. Yasuo was staring at me with a cold detachment completely at odds with his furious attacks.

The silence between us stretched as neither of us moved.

"What is the meaning of this?" I asked after several moments had passed. "What wrong have I done you?" Though from his skin tone and accent, I had a pretty good idea why this particular individual wanted me dead.

He took a step back, lowering into a half crouch with his blade extended towards me.

"You killed countless Ionian men and women on of battle." he began, his voice even and as emotionless as his face. Only his eyes betrayed his true feelings, and the field the depth of pain and hatred I saw within them pierced me to the core, for I knew I had no defense against whatever accusations this Ionian would bring against me.

"You stole the lands of my people, slew an Ionian council member, and are responsible for the death of my brother." He paused, looking me up and down as if truly seeing me for the first time. "Riven of the Wind Arts, your life is mine to claim."

A flood of memories returned in an instant as his words triggered images best left untouched. A burning village, Ionian soldiers rushing towards me, all falling to my sword, and the Elder. He had seemed so frail, but when he stood before Fury company at the head of his vastly outnumbered forces, he had proven himself to be a formidable foe. So formidable, that I had been forced to unleash my most powerful attack against the skilled swordsman, striking him down with a wind slash he couldn't have hoped to evade. The sorrow filled cries of his men as they saw him fall echoed again in my ears as I shook the memories away.

"My actions were not justified." I began, taking a step towards him. "I was wrong to kill, I was wrong to fight for what Noxus has become, and you have every reason to slay me."

Yasuo's eyes hardened further. "Then accept your fate, Exile!"

He leapt forwards once more, blade swinging down in a deadly arc. This time I met him head on, swinging my sword upwards and deflecting the blow to the side as I stepped inside his guard. There was a _whoosh_ of air as he slid around behind me, narrowly avoiding the elbow I'd thrown towards his chest. I dove forward on instinct, sense of danger flaring as his blade arced over my body. Still gripping my sword, I slammed my palms on the ground and sprung forwards in a flip, rotating in the air to land on my feet facing him just as Yasuo released a whirlwind of air from his weapon.

"Hiyah!"

With a yell I sliced downwards, cutting the torrent of air apart. A plume of dust rose from the road as our wind techniques met, blasting us with dirt and grit. Yasuo leapt again without pause, bearing down on me with his long curved blade as I raised my weapon for the parry. With another clang our swords met, each of us trying to push to other back as our blades locked. Wind whirled around us as we strained, faces inches apart as sparks flew from the stressed steel between us.

"You will atone for your crimes!" Yasuo intoned, grunting the words out as gale force winds swept outwards from our conflict. "You will fall by my hand!"

"I _am_ atoning!" I roared into his face. "Every night I dream of Ionia, of the lives I took, of what Noxus has become! Every day I mourn!"

I took a step forward, forcing him back with pure strength as his feet dug furrows into the road beneath us.

"I travel to Noxus today, with my companions here, to bring down those responsible for those tragedies! I do not deny my part, but I cannot rest until Swain has been removed! He will not stop because of the Institute! So we must stop him ourselves!"

"You-!" He began, then-

"Enough!"

There was a blast of energy and Yasuo and I were knocked apart, landing sprawled out on the ground a good ten feet apart.

Lux stepped between us, arms outstretched and baton spinning skillfully in her right hand.

"Yasuo." She turned towards him, voice soft but firm. "We all know who the real enemy is, and it isn't the women standing in front of you."

"I will not be swayed by your words, Demacian." The Ionian returned evenly. "This justice is long overdue."

"Then think again, because if we do not succeed Ionia will suffer the wrath of Noxus once more. And this time, High Command will not back down from the Institute."

"Look, Yasuo." Ezreal stepped forwards, arms raised and with a disarming expression. "All of us have been through a lot, but we should all calm down for a moment and talk this out. You know as well as we do that something has to be done about Noxus." He grinned confidently "And we think we have a pretty good solution."

"We're starting a revolution." I said, getting up from the ground. "The people of Noxus are full of unrest already, and with the oppressive self-serving agenda of High Command removed, there will be no further conflict with the Ionian people."

" _You're_ starting a revolution." Lux cut in. "We're just along to help out. You see Yasuo," She turned towards him again. "We need Riven, because she is someone who the people of Noxus can identify with. She was a hero to them, and with her we will stoke the fire until it flares up to consume Swain and the puppets they call High Command."

I shifted a little bit, uncomfortable with the way she was describing me. The point of Yasuo's blade lowered a little as he glanced at Lux, a twitch of uncertainty breaking through the mask of his expressionless face.

"We have allies," Lux continued "we're on our way to begin the preparations right now. Please, killing Riven could doom your people!"

I fought the urge to stare at Lux, whose voice had taken on a pleading tone I hadn't heard from her before.

 _Aren't you being a little dramatic?_

The total control she maintained over her emotions and her ability to seemingly be able to switch them at will made me feel more than a little uneasy. I could tell the Demacian mage was a master level manipulator, who with only a few choice words could evoke feelings of anything from anger to happiness. A part of me wondered what her real purpose here was, for it seemed far too convenient for her to be lending me her full support on this seemingly ridiculous venture of ours. Even so, I found I trusted her regardless, at least in part. The sincerity with which she had spoken to me on that first day had stuck with me.

 _But still, how much of her is an act?_

"If what you say is true, champion." Yasuo was saying. "Then I cannot interfere."

"Then-" Lux began, but the swordsman cut her off.

"However." Said Yasuo, sheathing his sword. "If you survive your mission, Exile, you will face me once more. You have _much_ to answer for."

I looked him straight in the eyes, noting for the first time the depth of sadness in them. Something twisted inside me, but I made myself keep eye contact while I replied.

"I know, and I will."

"If this is but a ruse to help this one escape," Yasuo continued, pointing towards me. "I will find all three of you, mark my words."

He began to walk away, then paused and turned to look over his shoulder once more at us.

"If you happen to live long enough to start this uprising, send word." His face hardened ever so slightly. "I have business with the Noxian leadership myself."

And with that Yasuo continued walking back towards the Institute, leaving me behind with renewed sorrow and self-loathing.

* * *

"Are you alright?"

Lux was leaning in front of me, a few strands of stray blonde hair hanging over her face. I tried to look away, but she stepped in and took me by the shoulder.

"Don't think about him, we both know you're doing what you can."

 _If only it were just that._ I thought, the images of my comrades from Fury Company still fresh in my mind. I shook my head and took a deep breath. _I can't keep falling apart, what kind of warrior would that make me?_

I forced a small smile.

"I'm fine." I said, a little taken aback by her friendly gesture. Noxians didn't make physical contact very often. "Just worn out."

She stared at me, her blue eyes scrutinizing me as if she were worried I was suddenly going to collapse.

"You all set up camp." Ezreal said, putting his stuff down and walking off up the side of a nearby hill. "I'm going to have a quick look around."

I noticed his usual tone of confidence was somewhat lacking.

 _Probably shaken up. Not that I can talk._

In fact, the only one who looked calm was Lux. She was still staring at me, apparently waiting for something. We stood there for a few more moments, still connected by her arm.

Finally, I pulled away and looked down, away from her searching gaze.

"I'm not good with people, Lux, and I'm not good with feelings. I can take care of myself, though. Don't worry about me."

That clenched feeling in my chest was still there, if anything it was getting worse. I felt my breath, ragged and uneven, and a bead of sweat rolled down my forehead.

 _Yasuo._ I closed my eyes and sat down, trying to resist the guilt and shame as I thought the words I would never be able to say to the proud warrior I had just met. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm trying to set things right. I'm_ going _to set things right. After that, you can have your justice._

There was a soft thump as Lux dropped down next to me.

"You shouldn't keep it all bottled up."

I glanced over at her, but she was staring off into the distance towards the sun setting over the horizon. After a moment, she continued.

"You've been through more than I can imagine, I'm sure, I know it can't be easy. But if you keep it all to yourself, it'll tear you apart."

Now she looked over at me, her eyes holding such a depth of sadness I was taken aback.

 _What has this woman seen?_ I found myself wondering. _What horrors has she lived through?_

 _Maybe she could understand._

I turned away, head lowered towards the ground as I drew my knees up to my chest and closed my eyes. I felt Lux shift a little beside me, but she didn't say anything else.

Finally, I spoke.

"I can't take it." I whispered. "Do you know how many people I've killed? I don't, I lost track after the first 40, but I'm sure it's far higher than that. The worst part is it didn't bother me at first. I was proudly following orders, believing I was serving for a glorious cause against those who would seek to deny Noxian strength. I was a fool."

I laughed, an unsteady and derisive sound that quickly turned into a stifled sob as I rested my forehead against my knees.

"I got what I deserved in the end, though. All my friends dead, betrayed by my nation, exiled from my home and with all the guilt of what I've done weighing down on me like lead. I wandered for months after that last fight. Did I ever tell you how they bombed my company when we were surrounded? Instead of coming to our aid? That's the kind of people I was fighting for. I see that battlefield almost every night. Either that, or the faces of the people I ruthlessly murdered for an empire that cared nothing for its people. Yasuo is only one of many who want me dead, and rightfully so."

The torrent of words slowly trickled to a stop and I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. After a few moments Lux spoke up, her voice soft and kind.

"The people of Noxus are indoctrinated from birth to follow orders without question, Riven. Being raised in an environment like that, where disobeying meant death, how were you supposed to be able to do anything? I know, because Demacia is the same way. Did you know I was taken from my family as a girl to be trained as a mage for the army? They do the same thing, except instead of death for disobeying it's dishonor for you and your entire family. I didn't see the truth until long after I should have, but I have no illusions anymore. I'm still loyal to Demacia, but I make my own choices now, and so do you, Riven."

She put a hand on my shoulder again and I looked up, surprised to see her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Our loyalties are to our countries, not the people that lead them. Now you know the truth, and we're going to set things right! Without us, these horrible things will not stop. It's your duty to the Noxus you love to survive, Riven, so you can purge the evil within it!"

Her sincerity struck a chord in me, and I leaned back to lie on the ground staring up at the cloudless evening sky while I took in her words.

"These are the first steps. Both of us have made mistakes in our lives, but now both of us want to make things right. We can change, we can be redeemed."

 _Redemption._ The word sounded alien. _Is that still possible for me?_

I didn't know what mistakes Lux was talking about for herself, but from the pained look in her eyes I gathered she had been through many hardships as well.

 _She's right, though. We can't stop, and feeling sorry for myself won't help anything. Get a grip on yourself!_

With a small sigh I blinked away the wetness in my eyes and rolled to face her, propping my head up on one elbow.

"We will succeed. Whether or not that is redemption I don't know, but I will cleanse Noxus." I said. There was a newfound conviction in me. My mind drifted back to the companions that had died on the battlefield, the faces of the Ionian's I had killed, and so many others.

 _You will get your justice._

There was still regret coiling deep inside, but the knot in my chest had loosened somewhat and I forced it out of my mind as I relaxed a little. Lux grinned down at me, the sadness gone from her face as she brightened up.

"That's the spirit! And I told you you'd feel better."

Somehow it was impossible to stay down for long around her, and I found myself thinking that alone was more impressive than any of the feats of magic I'd seen from the mage.

"Now, if you're feeling better I think we should set up camp."

I nodded and got up, walking over to where our belongings lay on the ground and began pulling out the tents. After a moment I looked back towards her, and saw Lux lying on the ground in apparent relaxation.

"Aren't you going to help?"

"I provide the emotional support, you provide the physical support." She stuck her tongue out at me as she rolled over onto her stomach to watch me work. "Seems fair to me! Anyway look at your arms, your biceps are the size of my thighs! You'll be fine."

I rolled my eyes and went back to getting everything ready as Lux hummed a happy tune somewhere behind me. As I was about to finish I looked back, seeing her eyes closed and a relaxed expression play across her smooth features.

 _Is there anything she_ isn't _good at?_

I looked away, paused, and then glanced back again.

"Hey Lux."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. For everything."

She didn't say anything, but her answering smile was response enough. With her at my side, not to mention as skilled a companion as Ezreal, I felt like I could take on the world.

She continued humming as I worked, and the tightness in my chest slowly faded and disappeared.

* * *

"There it is." Ezreal said, completely unnecessarily as he gestured towards the city walls in the distance. Noxus was just visible, and I felt my expression harden as I held it in my gaze for the first time in almost a year.

The sun shone down onto our hiding spot amidst the hills, for we had long since abandoned the road in order to avoid being seen. I turned my head towards him, an eyebrow raised as I asked the obvious question.

"So, are you sure you can get us in?"

He grinned back at me confidently, flicking his wayward hair to the side as he replied.

"Not a problem, follow me."

He started forwards, beginning to circle around away from the front of the large city before us as he led Lux and I towards whatever secret entrance he had in mind.

"Are you ready for this?" Lux asked, her voice soft with a hint of underlying tension that mirrored my own.

I looked towards Noxus, just managing to make out a glimpse of the city between two hills as Ezreal did his best to keep us hidden from sight on our wilderness trek. I felt my fists clench, and forced myself to relax them before answering.

"Yes. Yes I am."

 _This is the beginning of the end for you, Swain._ I thought, as we stealthily made our way ever closer to the city walls. _I hope_ you're _ready, because after I rally the people, I'm coming for you._

 **A/N Please leave a review, I like hearing what people think about the story. I'm hoping to be able to update this more frequently now, but even if there are long gaps between chapters I'll keep putting them out.**

 **How will our heroes get into Noxus, and will they find allies there? We'll find out soon.**


	8. Testing the Waters

"Ezreal, this is _disgusting_."

Lux was peering in through a small tunnel at the base of the southernmost Noxian wall. It was night, though we couldn't count on that to help us elude detection from sentries for much longer. We had to hurry.

The source of the mage's displeasure was quite evident. A small stream of particularly foul smelling liquid gurgled out of a gap in the wall as Ezreal shifted, pulling loose an iron grating and setting it aside quietly. He turned to look at Lux, a mixture of exasperation and bemusement playing across his face in the dim light.

"Hey, you said you needed a quiet way in." He shrugged. "Noxus is a fortress, I can't work miracles you know."

I leaned in next to him, peering into the darkness to see for myself. The sewer water seemed to only be a foot deep or so, though the height of the tunnel meant we would have to crawl. A less than pleasant means of entry to be sure, but hardly a real problem. It seemed I'd finally found one of Lux's weaknesses.

"He's right." I murmured as Lux opened her mouth to whisper a retort. "This is perfect for our purpose." I tried not to relish the expression she was making too much, but it was difficult considering how much she seemed to enjoy bothering me.

"Oh… Fine." Lux sighed, grimacing, then shot me a glare that could have frozen the putrid water streaming by us. "I am not going to forget this, Riven."

"We're only here because you suggested it." I pointed out, crouching down beside the explorer as he entered first. This didn't seem to improve her demeanor but she followed suit, entering the stream behind me with barely a sound.

The smell was indescribable, and I would have sworn I could feel Lux's gaze piercing through my back as we slowly moved forwards. There was no light, but Ezreal seemed to know where he was going. He moved confidently ahead of me, hands reaching out to feel familiar markings as we progressed. I tried to focus on the plan I had been coming up with to block out the smell. I had been through worse, of course, this was nothing compared to that Ionian battlefield. That thought, however, didn't make the sewer any more appealing.

"How much further?" I murmured, then stopped as I heard Ezreal's movements slow to a halt. A small impact on my back accompanied by a muffled squeak of surprise notified me that Lux hadn't been as quick on the uptake.

Ezreal looked up, and I realized I could see his silhouette framed by the moonlight filtering in through a small grate in the ceiling. He motioned for us to be quiet and got to work, slowly removing the cover and sliding it skillfully to the side. The whole process lasted less than 20 seconds, and made hardly any noise at all. It seemed the explorer was a man of many talents.

"Alright, it's clear." He said after a brief look around. "Come on."

He hauled himself up in one fluid motion, then turning to lower a hand back down. I took it and, grasping the lip of the entrance with my other hand, quickly followed suit.

"Your grip is like a vice, Riven." He complained, wincing as I landed next to him and released my grasp. "Be more careful next time."

I ignored him, focusing on hauling up Lux after us. We appeared to be in some sort of alley way. I could see torchlight coming from the street a good fifty feet to our right, though at this time of night it didn't seem like many people were out. Once we were all up, Ezreal carefully replaced the grate and spread some dust around, erasing any signs that we had been here.

"Alright, we're in." He said, turning to look at me. "What now?"

"First." Lux grated, glaring at both of us. "We're doing something about this stench."

I looked down at my clothes and wrinkled my nose. The severity of the situation had made me forget momentarily what we all must look like. I doubted I'd be able to convince anyone to join me, no matter how low their opinion of Swain, like this. Unfortunately I didn't have much in the way of spare clothes, as we'd hidden most of our spare gear before entering the city.

"Well," I began, looking back at her. "We'll have to find-"

"No need." Lux interrupted, now holding her nose with one hand as she waved her baton in the other. "You both are completely hopeless."

As she completed her spell, I felt my clothes dry and the stains disappear. Ezreal had seemingly undergone a similar treatment, as he spoke up a moment later.

"That's a neat trick, could you show me how it works sometime?"

I frowned, and then remembered Ezreal was a mage as well. He acted so little like the others I had met that I'd completely forgotten.

"Trade secret" Said Lux, stowing her baton and pulling her hood up to obscure her face. She paused halfway through the motion to shoot me another look. "I'm going to get you back for this one day."

* * *

The Wagon Wheel tavern was a rundown place at the best of times, and as I approached quietly on the side of the street it seemed to me that it had only become even more ramshackle in appearance than the last time I'd visited. I just hoped the same people still frequented it. I stopped a good 50 yards away, stepping into an alley and motioning for my companions to join me. It had been a short but harrowing journey through the nighttime city, and I had expected to hear a shout of alarm or recognition at any moment. It seemed my paranoia had been unfounded though, as we had made it to our destination undisturbed.

"You think you'll know some people in there?" Lux whispered, stepping beside me against the alley wall and peering back down the street at our destination.

"I used to know a lot of people." I replied, pulling my hood a little lower over my face. The last thing I needed was for a guard to recognize me after making it this far. "Whether or not any of them still come here…"

My voice trailed off. Really, this was the worst plan I had ever come up with. In fact, there wasn't even much of a plan involved beyond 'go to the tavern, find people you used to know who also don't like Swain and talk to them.' Was I supposed to just walk in there and make some grand promises about overthrowing the government? I had a feeling we would all wake up the next morning with daggers in our backs if we did.

Still, I had to start somewhere, and at least here there was a better than even chance of running into someone who would dislike the establishment already, albeit for their own reasons.

 _Plenty of people hate Swain and his cohorts._ I reminded myself forcefully. _I just have to convince them to work together to do something about it._

Put that way, it seemed a little bit more doable. I looked around again and noticed Ezreal and Lux looking at me expectantly, for I had been standing still for several seconds.

"I'm going in." I stated.

"Good luck." Ezreal clapped me on the shoulder as I passed, and Lux gave another of her radiant smiles. While I had initially thought she was simply oblivious to serious situations, it now seemed to me that her way of dealing with them was to project her bubbly self even more so than normal. While it was a little unusual, I had to admit it was a better way of handling stress than some others I had seen.

We had decided beforehand that speaking to any potential allies with my two companions, one of whom was a Demacian and both of whom were Champions, was a bad idea to say the least. So when I struck out for the front door of the Wagon Wheel, it was without company. As I stepped out onto the street, I heard the light mage whisper behind me.

"We've got your back."

Somehow, that reassurance eased the tight knot that hard been slowly twisting in my chest. I crossed the street quickly and quietly, paused by the door to take a deep breath, and then entered.

The first thing I noticed about the interior of the tavern was the depressing atmosphere. A few worn down looking soldiers were grouped around a table drinking the night away, a few more sat at the bar, and a barmaid scrubbed down a mug behind the counter with a less than clean looking rag. The woman looked up as I came in and set aside the cup wearily.

"What can I do for you, madam?" She asked, her tone holding a remarkable degree of indifference. Whether that was due to the lateness of the hour or a byproduct of the general lethargic atmosphere of the tavern I had no idea, but at least I wasn't attracting much attention so far.

I curtly placed my order and slid a few coins over the counter, and then sat down on one of the bar stools doing my best to emulate the posture of the bar's other customers. The maid left to get my drink leaving me alone at the end of the bar, and I took a surreptitious look around at the other patrons.

The men at the back table were too young to be anyone I would recognize, I could tell from a glance, so I focused my scrutiny on the other two men at the bar. One was an elderly man, face marred by more than a few scars with graying hair and poor posture. Nothing I recognized there either. The man closest to me was younger, more middle aged with short brown hair and a beard just starting to fill out and reach its maturity. He wore red, and was well dressed despite his somewhat disheveled appearance. It took me several moments before I recognized him as Drax. The beard was new, but I couldn't miss his broad shouldered bulk.

 _Excellent._ I thought, holding in a sigh of relief. _Looks like I've still got a bit of luck._

Drax was one of the people I had been hoping to run in to. He had been a sergeant in the Wolf Runners, a unit that had worked closely with Fury Company on occasion. I remembered his less than favorable reaction upon receiving orders to march to battle against the Ionians, as well as his quietly murmured critical remarks directed towards High Command. I never paid them too much attention back then, I had just done what I was ordered and didn't believe in wasting time worrying about other matters, but the memory had stuck with me.

While I had never been particularly talkative with him, or anyone else for that matter, I was hoping he still held on to those sentiments. We were acquaintances at best, however, so I had to figure out a way to approach him naturally. Not to mention cautiously.

The bar maid returned with my drink. I nodded in thanks and took hold of the mug, standing up and walking down to the seat next to Drax and lowering myself into it without looking at him. I sensed him stir a little beside me, no doubt wondering who the hooded stranger that had suddenly seated herself next to him was.

"It's been a while, Drax." I murmured so that only he could hear. The quiet background noise of the bar would be enough to mask a short conversation. I hoped. Then again I was winging this whole endeavor anyway, so I pushed the matter out of my mind.

I turned a little bit to let him see under the hood, and after a moment was rewarded with an audible intake of breath.

"You…" He whispered, his voice a deep baritone that matched his large frame. "I thought you were dead."

I paused for a heartbeat, then decided to take a gamble. The fact that he was still frequenting this dreary place hinted that he was in the same state of mind he used to be in. Anyway, I didn't have time to beat around the bush; I could be recognized by someone less friendly at any moment.

"I almost was." I replied evenly. "But despite Swain's best efforts, here I am ready to repay the favor."

At that, he raised a cautious eyebrow.

"Oh? That doesn't sound like the warrior I knew."

"I'm not the warrior you knew."

It was true.

He paused, and then glanced around. "We should talk somewhere more private." He said "Come with me."

He stood up, seemingly a lot more alert than his previous lethargy would have had me believing, and made for the door. I waited for a few heartbeats, and followed.

* * *

"You know, you may claim to be different, but you're still just as crazy as you always were."

We were in Drax's flat, a small two room affair in the southern quarter on Noxus where most of the soldiers were quartered. In contrast to the Institute of War's housing arrangements, I was reminded how minimalistic and function oriented Noxus really was. The room was completely bare of any decoration, void of all but a table, counter, cupboards and a few chairs.

I had just finished explaining the events of the past several months, starting with Fury Company's final battle and ending with my current mission. I had left out the identities of my assistants, of course, but Drax had taken everything in stride. In fact, the only reaction he'd made to my tale was the increasingly deep frown spreading across his face.

He sighed, sitting leaning forward a little bit to prop his elbows on the bare wooden table before speaking again.

"The thing is," He went on. "When it's you saying it I want to believe it's possible." He shook his head.

"We can make it possible." I cut in. "You can't tell me the people are behind Swain. He killed almost more of his own soldiers than the Ionians did!"

Drax raised an eyebrow. "You never used to say anything, and always kept to yourself when you could. Now you're here trying to recruit me to some harebrained scheme to overthrow the government. You really have changed."

As with many things that had come up during the past several days, I had placed the blame for my recent spike in talkativeness squarely on Lux. I could hardly say that to Drax, though.

"You haven't seen what I have." I said instead, my expression hardening as I recalled the events of that fateful day. "Seeing your comrades die around you? Being powerless to stop it? That would give anyone drive."

I met his eyes and, for the first time, saw the depth of sadness in them.

"I know." He whispered. "I was there too, you know. Not in the thick of the fighting, mind you, but I saw what happened. So many of us did. Swain's lucky we didn't march on Noxus right then and there. I think a lot of us would have, but we were so numbed." His voice trailed off as he looked into space, seemingly lost in recollection.

"We can change this, Drax." I said, and heard the conviction strong in my own voice. I believed what I was saying. "People will listen to us." I still didn't entirely accept Lux's theory that I could spearhead the rebellion of the Noxus people, but I had no doubt that people would be willing to rise up. They'd had enough.

He looked up at me from across the table, and I saw a grim determination set in his face.

"We _will_ change this. I didn't think it was possible, but now you're back. It's like an omen. People will listen to you."

 _Why does everyone keep saying that?_ I thought. _I'm no leader; I'm just a broken girl trying to atone for her atrocities._

"Riven?"

I started. Drax was looking at me with some concern, and I realized I must have made some kind of troubling expression. I forced my face back into a mask of determination: It didn't matter if I was a leader or not, I could pretend for those who wanted me to be one. I didn't care.

"What's the first step?" I asked.

"I can't believe we're doing this. I was having a nice drink tonight you know?"

"There will be time for drinks once we don't have to worry about Swain's ambition getting us all killed." Drax was a Noxian, and I intentionally left out the guilt I felt over the Ionian deaths. I thought he was a good man, all things considered, but most Noxians just wouldn't understand that pain. Fortunately, they already had reason enough of their own to take up arms.

"True enough." He sat up straight. "I'll get a couple of people together, only ones I trust completely, mind you. It's all pointless if we get ourselves killed. But I know some likeminded people with some influence; it should be a good start."

"When should we meet?"

"Tomorrow night, same time, here." He held out his hand. "It looks like we've got a lot of work to do."

I grasped it firmly. "We do what must be done."

* * *

I had a lot to think about as I carefully made my way back through the city streets to the alley where Lux and Ezreal were supposed to be waiting for me.

 _It's actually happening._ I thought. _We're going to do this._

After much pain and hardship, and more than a few fights, I was finally in Noxus. I thought back to my encounter with Irelia on the steps in front of the Institute of War, and to my more recent meeting with Yasuo.

 _I will atone._ I promised them now. _If it is required, I will lay my life down for this._

Excitement wasn't quite the right word for what I was feeling, but there was an undeniable sense of anticipation. An eagerness that wasn't entirely built out of altruistic desire to protect, but also out of a desire for vengeance. My old masters had taught me that all revenge did was cloud the mind, but I had never heard what a mixture of vengeance and duty was supposed to bring. I resolved to ask Lux what she thought, and then shook my head.

 _I really am changing if I'm going to willingly start a conversation with_ her.

Still, I had to be careful. To consider my every move with caution. A wrong step from here on out would probably mean dea-.

I was never sure what alerted me to the danger, for there was no sound to betray the dagger spinning towards me, nor any tangible sign of my attacker's presence. Still, instinct is said to operate off of many things we notice only unconsciously. Whether it was a slight shift in the air, a nearly inaudible intake of breath, or something else entirely, the result was the same. I tucked and rolled, hitting the cobblestone hard as a blade whizzed by my head slicing a shallow line across my cheek before flying off down the side alley I was in.

In one fluid motion I completed the roll, whirling around with arms up and at the ready as I came to my feet, eyes searching the shadows for my assailant. I didn't have to look hard. The assassin's familiar red hair fluttered behind her as a soft breeze rustled through the alley, and I glared at Katarina as she stopped walking a good ten paces from me. She grinned lazily at me, voice mocking as she drew another blade from a hidden sheath.

"Well, look what we have here. The little hopping bunny has come home at last."

I bristled at her insolence despite myself and cursed inwardly: I had been hoping the Noxian champions were still at the Institute. Her tone was light, but her eyes held the sadism I knew all too well from the Fields of Justice. As I glanced around looking for a means of victory or escape, many thoughts crowded my mind. Among the most prominent was:

Why _did I have to leave my sword with Lux?_

 **A/N Sorry about the long wait between chapters, but I'll keep putting them out when I get the chance. If you like it please let me know! Positive feedback is always nice.**


	9. Black and White

I rushed her.

A hundred thoughts flitted through my head in the instant I saw Katarina drawing another dagger, but I pushed them aside. There was no time to worry about how she found me or what she knew. All that mattered was that I was facing one of the deadliest assassins on the continent, and that I was unarmed. A single thrown dagger could end my life. To be fair, a single stab could kill me too, but at least if I got her within my reach I'd have a chance.

So I rushed her.

The twenty feet of cobblestone alleyway blurred by as I closed in a flash. A glint of steel betrayed the dagger she had managed to draw, and I swung my right hand down towards her wrist in an attempt at disarming my opponent. Just as I felt the touch of her arm against mine, though, her form dissolved into wisps of smoke.

 _I've seen your tricks, assassin!_

I ducked down and spun my left leg behind me in a wide sweep just as Katarina appeared there with dagger swinging. With a whoosh of air it passed over my head just as my leg slammed into hers from behind. The impact shook my body and hurt like hell, but I forced all the strength I could behind the strike and knocked her off her feet.

I lunged forward, but she was faster. Katarina rolled as she hit the ground, keeping her momentum and coming up just out of reach as she hurled a wicked looking blade straight at my chest.

There was no time to dodge. It was a throw from less than 8 feet away. An amateur could have hit from that range, and from Katarina the blow would almost certainly be lethal. So I did the only thing I could.

I flung my left arm up in front of my chest, and felt a cold shock jolt through it as the dagger sunk into my forearm. Biting back a cry of pain I slammed into Katarina, throwing both of us to the ground once more. She twisted beneath me, cursing, trying to stay on top. I grasped her firmly in my good arm and slammed her down under me. Something made a brutal cracking sound as we hit the stone, and I heard a grunt of pain before I was thrown off of the assassin. I hit the ground awkwardly, the blade in my arm ripped out by the fall. Red flashed through my vision as a spike of piercing pain shook through me. Gritting my teeth and fighting back shock from the blood loss, I surged to my feet facing my foe. Katarina scrambled to her feet a few steps away, holding her chest with one arm and wincing as she grinned across at me.

I took a step towards her but she held up an empty hand. I paused.

"Don't be such a boor, Riven." Her grin widened. It was an unnerving, almost feral, expression.

"As much as I would love to kill you, I have a feeling you're going to make things very interesting around here soon." She tossed her scarlet hair back over her shoulder. "I'd much rather see what you're about. Care to share?"

"What do you want?" I snarled back. My head was throbbing and my own blood splattered the ground at my feet. I needed to dress my wound quickly or I'd pass out. That'd be the end.

Katarina rolled her eyes.

"Fine, be that way." She turned and started walking back down the alley. "Just keep in mind that if I had wanted to kill you, you'd be dead. You owe me one."

"Since when is not killing someone the same as doing them a favor?"

"Don't act like you're so innocent, Exile." She called back. "Plenty of people here would be more than happy to see you dead. You're a traitor to them."

"The real traitors are the ones up there." I nodded my head towards the dark spires of the citadel, just visible in the distance despite the darkness.

Katarina didn't respond, but there was a subtle change in her demeanor. Something behind her eyes darkened. I narrowed my gaze at her. Something about that was familiar. Something in that sneering face beckoned to me.

With of jolt of surprise I realized it. Her face held the same emotions I felt when I thought of the people I had lost to Swain and his cohorts. She had lost something too. Something important. And he had taken it from her.

 _She's just like me._

It was ridiculous to assume I could pick that out from such a slight physical response, but I knew I was right. I took a step towards her, still holding my bloodied forearm.

"You know that, Katarina." I whispered. "I can see it. What did he take from you?"

Her eyes widened ever so slightly, but her face remained set in that ever present sneer of hers. I hated the arrogance of that look. Even so, I felt something of myself in her. Somewhere.

 _This is stupid. I should make an escape while I have the chance._

Yet, I couldn't. Not until I heard what she had to say.

"You don't know shit." She spat.

"Then tell me."

Katarina barked a laugh. "Oh that's rich. Yeah, why don't we sit down here and have a good old heart to heart. We can invite our friends over, make it a sleep over. Sounds _perfect."_ Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

I locked eyes with her and she stopped talking. I don't know what she saw in them but at that moment I didn't see her as an assassin, but as a kindred spirit. Of a sort.

"I can help." The words rose unbidden from me. I was shocked to find that I meant it. There may have been no love lost between this assassin and myself, but I just couldn't turn my back on another person Swain had mislead.

She examined me for a long moment. I held her gaze evenly, and I knew she saw my sincerity.

"It was my father. Swain saw him as an obstacle to his rise, so he had him _removed_." She sneered again. "That's how things work here. Now all that keeps my family from destitution is his employment of our _talents._ "

The way she spoke the word talents left me in no doubt of what services Swain demanded of her. I had heard of her father, of course. General DuCouteau had been a member of the High Command while I was serving in the army. It had been said he was an honorable man, though I had never met him. I had had no idea anything had happened to him.

 _I need to pay more attention to what's going on in the world._

"I'm sorry." I said. It was the only thing I could think to say.

"Don't give me that." She snarled. "What's next? We join forces? Take down the tyrant? Yeah, right. Just one problem, Exile."

She pointed a blade at me.

"I hate you almost as much."

I tensed, expecting her to attack once more, but she just kept talking.

"You're a hypocrite. You slaughtered the Ionians during the war, and then you denounced Noxus when a battle goes south for your troops. You can't have it both ways!" Her voice was as hard as the steel she held.

I felt a pulse of anger shoot through me at her words.

"That's not what happened." I hissed at her. "Swain callously murdered his own troops, my friends, on the battlefield! He invaded a country that had wronged us in no way!"

"You callously murdered hundreds of Ionians yourself! Don't act like you're on some holy quest to set things right." She narrowed her eyes at me. "I can see it in your face, Exile, you just want revenge."

 _That's not true!_

Was it?

My temper swelled. I opened my mouth to reply but she cut me off.

"At least have the guts to call it what it is. So what, you're here to kill Swain then?"

I didn't respond. Memories flashed through my mind. Fury Company. Countless dead Ionians, killed by my hand. Which was the real reason I was here? I felt sick to my stomach, but I pushed the nausea aside.

Katarina was still talking.

"Good luck with that." She snorted. "I hope you die in an entertaining way at least. I look forward to seeing you fail, miserably."

 _I can't let my insecurities rule me at a time like this!_

"Just because you don't give a damn about the lives of others doesn't mean I don't." I snarled at her. "Apathy isn't strength, assassin."

Katarina began walking away. "Don't preach to me about strength or honor. We're both far beyond that. And you know it."

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came. The truth behind her remarks stung like physical blows. After what I had done, what right did I have to say any of this?

She shook her head as she walked away, muttering something under her breath. I stayed alert, ready for any sign she'd turn on me again, but she kept walking to the mouth of the alley. She grinned back at me, a smile that bespoke her bloodlust and thirst for combat. Then she vanished into the night.

* * *

"What happened to you?!"

Lux's face was pale, whether from the night's chill or the sight of my heavily bandaged and bloodsoaked forearm I couldn't tell. I had finally made it back to the alleyway I had promised to meet my companions in.

"I ran into a friend." I tried to brush off her concern. I didn't want to think about what Katarina had said. Not right now.

Ezreal raised an eyebrow. "You Noxians have a strange way of saying hello."

Lux locked eyes with me. I could tell she wasn't going to let me off that easily, but she seemed to realize this wasn't the place for an interrogation. She sighed, and grabbed me by my unbandaged arm. Her hand was warm.

"Let's get off the streets, I found a place for us. I'll take a look at that once we're inside."

Her expression also said: _And then you'll tell me everything._

 _I suppose I can't avoid it._ I thought. _She's helped me with everything, she has the right to ask._

I couldn't believe I was thinking this about a Demacian, of all people. Times change.

I followed her and Ezreal out of the alley and into the mostly empty streets. Not many people were out at this time of night. Noxus wasn't the most dangerous city around, but it didn't have the best reputation either. We made our way towards the edge of the city, and eventually reached an inconspicuous inn I probably wouldn't have even noticed if Lux hadn't pulled me through the door. The sign above it identified it as the "Poro's Palace."

 _She can certainly spot a good hideout._ I conceded. _She's been well trained._

I knew that, too, of course. I'd seen her fight several times. I'd experienced her skill first hand not long ago, in that snowy abyss. But this was a different kind of expertise. Not one of combat prowess, but that of a spy. Still, since we were planning the removal of a head of state I supposed having a spy as part of the team was probably for the best.

The truth was, I trusted her now. I knew I probably shouldn't, at least not fully. But the longer our journey lasted the more I found myself relying on her.

Ezreal lingered by the door, muttering that he wanted to make sure we hadn't been followed. I nodded to him. He had been helpful as well. Without his knowledge, we wouldn't have even been able to get into the city in the first place.

Lux wordlessly led me up a set of old wooden stairs to a second story, into a hallway with several rooms partitioned off from each other. She took out a brass key and opened one of the doors, and together we entered into a sparse room containing only two small beds and a table in the corner. A single candle burned on the tabletop, casting a flickering light onto the walls.

The door closed behind us and Lux turned to face me.

"Let me take a look at that."

She reached towards my wounded arm, and I winced as she began undoing the bandages. It still stung, a _lot._

The last of the bloodstained cloth fell away, revealing a jagged gash in my left forearm. Blood still seeped from it slowly, and I fought the urge to look away. At times like these I missed the magic of the summoners at the Institute of War. Their grasp on healing charms was incredible considering what they did to us on the Rift.

Lux grimaced as she inspected the wound, and took out a small red vial from her satchel.

"It's pretty bad." She said, handing the vial over. "Take this, it'll help."

I looked at the health potion, these things were expensive out in the real world.

"Are you sure?" The injury was hardly life threatening, but it would be an impediment.

"We need you to look the part, Riven." Lux said. "This is almost as much about appearances as it is about our actual abilities. If we're going to convince people to follow you, we need you to look as strong as you are."

That was a good point. Besides, if I did have to fight again soon, I wanted to be able to use both my arms.

I uncorked the stopper and gulped down the liquid, grimacing at the familiar bitter taste. Lux giggled at my expression.

"They aren't _that_ bad." She laughed.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "If you think these taste fine, I'd hate to find out what you think doesn't."

She winked at me. "You should try a mana potion." She paused, thoughtful. "Actually, I don't think they have them anymore at the Institute. At least not for us. Your loss."

I sank down onto the edge of one of the beds, relieved to get off my feet. I was exhausted. My arm tingled as the pain receded. As much as I appreciated the magic, I hated this feeling as well. It felt like a bunch of tiny insects were crawling around under my skin. Even as I watched though, the torn flesh slowly began knitting itself back together. Before long the wound would be completely gone.

Lux plopped herself down on the bed across from me, the long cloak she had been wearing to hide her appearance discarded on the floor. She propped her head up on one arm as she looked across at me.

"What happened tonight, did the meeting go poorly?"

I thought back to Drax. The veteran had seemed eager, if cautious. No, there was potential here. I never would have noticed if Lux hadn't forced me into this insanity, but there was.

"It's not that." I explained. "I ran into Katarina on the way here."

Lux's expression darkened a little, and I quickly summarized the night's events. I left out my conversation with Katarina, but made it clear that she had no interest in politics or why I was here.

 _No._ I thought. _It's more personal than that._

I was pretty certain that she wouldn't alert Swain to my presence, that wasn't like her. Even Lux admitted that it was unlikely. I was less sure that she wouldn't stick a dagger in my back, despite her words. She was too unpredictable.

"We'll have to be careful." I finished, crossing my arms and leaning back against the wall. "I know it goes without saying, but I don't trust her."

Lux nodded, still studying me with those piercing blue eyes of hers. Sometimes I felt like she could see straight through me, and I shifted a little uncomfortably.

"What else is wrong, Riven?" She finally asked. "You look uneasy. More than you were when we first got here." Lux sat up, still looking over at me.

I looked away, staring at the far wall.

"I don't want to talk about it." I didn't want to voice my insecurities. I didn't want to acknowledge them even to myself, let alone talk about them with Lux. It was bad enough that I still had doubts in me about my motives, but there had been some truth in Katarina's words. I was no knight come to set free the oppressed people. When I closed my eyes I still could see the corpses of my friends lying around me. When I dreamed I could smell the noxious fumes of that terrible day.

No. Deep down inside, I knew that what drove me wasn't a desire to save the Ionian people, or even for justice against Fury Company. I wanted vengeance against the men who had wronged me.

 _Why do I always respond like this?_ I thought. _My first instinct is to solve every problem with a sword in hand. There have to be other ways._

A small part of me, a rational part, thought that. But I pushed it aside. I was a warrior, and death was my trade. I did indeed want to see the Ionian people free, but that wasn't why I was here. Not fully. Katarina was right.

Lux was still looking at me expectantly. Finally I sighed.

"Katarina said a few things to me." I began, still not looking at her. She wouldn't leave me alone until I gave her something, I knew that by now. "And I've realized there was some truth in it."

I closed my eyes.

"I've realized why I'm really here, Lux. Why you were able to convince me so easily to do this. It's not out of a desire to set things right, or to undo my past mistakes."

I turned towards her, finally meeting her eyes. She had a rare, serious expression on her face. Her humor had faded.

"I'm here for revenge." I whispered, almost to myself. "What kind of person does that make me, Lux? I'm not sure I want to know."

I closed my eyes and lay back on the bed, facing the ceiling. The room was quiet for a time, and I had begun to think she wouldn't respond when I heard the floor creak. I cracked an eye open in time to see Lux step across the room to sit on the edge of my bed. She looked down at me, expression sympathetic.

 _Her eyes are so bright._ She'd been through her share of hardships too, I was sure of it. _How can she be so cheerful all the time?_

Was it in spite of what she had gone through? Or _because_ of it?

"Look." Lux said. "You have plenty of reasons to hate Swain, and to want him removed from power. Anyone would feel the same way." She paused again, considering her words. "I _do_ feel the same, probably for similar reasons. But that's not all. You've been to Ionia, Riven, do you remember what it looked like?"

I nodded.

"There were green fields, floating islands in the sky, villages, people, and so much more." I whispered it as I remembered. "We brought destruction."

"You did. But it wasn't as bad as it could have been." Lux looked away, her blonde hair fell down across the back of her shirt, brushing against my leg as she shifted. "This time, it will be worse. They won't settle for occupying a province after the humiliation of having to withdraw last time. They'll conquer everything."

She stood up, turning to face me. I looked up at her. There was intensity in this woman I had rarely seen in others. When she spoke, people listened.

"What about the people who live there, Riven? What about the Noxian soldiers who will be ordered to attack? Do you want them to go through what you did?"

"No. No, I don't." She was right. I didn't want that to happen either. I tried to sort through my feelings, but they were a jumble of mixed emotions. Anger at Swain, sadness for those lost, determination to succeed, hope for those yet untouched by battle. It was too much to consider at once.

"You see, Riven." Lux murmured, gaze distant. "Humans are complex beings. We don't do things for just one reason. The world isn't that simple, that black and white. You can want revenge, you can want to protect, and you can want justice. It doesn't have to be just one. It can be hard to fully understand what we feel, but I don't think we need to."

She looked back at me as I considered her words. They gave me pause. I had never given much thought to this sort of thing before. I'd never had to.

 _Or maybe, I'd never wanted to._

Life was simpler when you acted before you thought, but that's what had gotten me into this mess to begin with. It was time for a change.

Lux continued.

"Deep down, Riven, what do you feel? It's not about picking out the individual emotions and analyzing them, we aren't made for that. But the direction, right and wrong, we can _feel_ that. Everyone can, if they try." She grasped my left hand and squeezed slightly. "To you, is this the right thing to do?"

It felt like something warm spread through me from where her hand touched mine. How long had it been since I'd had a companion like her? A friend that I could rely on? Someone I could speak my mind to? Lux was rapidly becoming that person for me. Maybe she already was, in a way.

I looked deep within myself, not bothering with picking apart my tangled desires. I just _felt._ I considered the Ionains and their peaceful islands. I considered Fury Company and the friends I had had there. I considered Singed and Swain, and their treachery. All of this, and more, flitted through my mind. After a moment, I looked up at her. Lux released her grip, looking back, waiting for an answer.

"This is the right thing to do." I said. "I may not be pure of heart, but it _feels_ right. When I was on the battlefield before, against the Ionians, I… I could tell, sometimes, that what I was doing wasn't good. This time, it's different." I knew it was true as I said it. I may have had my doubts, but this fight wasn't just for vengeance. It was for life, as well. That's what made it different from before.

 _My intentions may not be entirely pure, but that doesn't invalidate the parts of them that are._

At least, I hoped it didn't.

Lux nodded, accepting my answer. She made as if to walk back to her side of the room, but I saw something flicker in her eyes that made me reach out and stop her.

 _This isn't easy for her either._ I realized. _What's going on inside her head?_

I barely understood any of what I felt, but I still wanted to know. She had helped me, maybe I could return the favor.

"What about you, Lux?" I asked, searching her expression. The flicker was gone. "Do you know why you're here, deep down?"

She raised an eyebrow at me. "That's not like you, Riven. You usually don't ask much about other people."

I shrugged. "Maybe you're rubbing off on me, you _always_ poke your nose into other people's business."

She chuckled and I felt myself smile a little. I hadn't been doing that much since I'd gotten near Noxus. It felt good.

Her expression grew serious again, though, and she regarded me carefully before answering.

"Just like you, Riven, there are plenty of reasons. Some I'm happy about, and some I'd rather not have. But I do." She walked over and sat back on her bed. "In the end though, it's the right thing to do. Our reasons may be complex, and we may be conflicted, but that doesn't change that doing this will help a great many people."

Her uncharacteristically serious demeanor slipped away as she grinned across at me.

"Besides," She continued. "it's _fun!_ "

I looked at her incredulously.

" _Fun?_ "

"It's like we're spies!"

"You _are_ a spy." I pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "You'd be surprised how utterly boring that sort of thing is most of the time."

"Maybe so, but I still can't see how this is your idea of fun." I replied.

"It's a _challenge._ " She said, as if that explained everything. Seeing my expression she continued. "I love those. Most things in this world are far too easy to figure out."

"Like humility?" I said dryly.

She laughed at that, laying back down on her bed. "That one may be beyond even me, I'm afraid. I make up for it in other ways."

I was just about to ask what ways those were when there was a soft knock at the door. We both sat up, and Ezreal slipped into the room. He saw us smiling and raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't realize this was so much fun for you all."

"Just for her." I said, waving a hand in Lux's direction.

"It's a _challenge._ " She repeated, absolutely beaming.

Ezreal looked a little confused. "What is?"

"Don't get her started again." I said, cutting off Lux as she opened her mouth to reply. "Is everything alright?"

Ezreal ran a hand through his messy blond hair. "Yeah, no one followed us. What's the plan now?"

"Over the next few days, I'll be meeting with some people. Today went well."

He nodded, and Lux looked over.

"We'll need to put together some sort of plan to pitch to the people you'll be meeting with, Riven." She pointed out. "Preferably a good one. They'll be much more likely to join the cause if they think there's a chance we can succeed."

I nodded, thoughtful. I hadn't actually given much thought to what we would do once we had the people behind us. Looking back, that seemed like a pretty large oversight.

"Well." I said, thinking. "We'll have to get into the citadel to get to Swain. It's heavily guarded."

"So, a distraction?" Ezreal asked.

"That could work for drawing out the soldiers." Lux said. "But the citadel has plenty of magical defenses along the walls that'll be harder to deal with."

I looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. "Demacia has done its homework."

Now it was Ezreal's turn to look thoughtful. "Do those defenses extend overtop the citadel itself?"

I shared a glance with Lux. "No," She said slowly. "Why?"

Ezreal grinned mischievously and I groaned out loud.

"Not you too." I complained, looking back and forth between him and Lux. She just smirked at me. "I can't handle two of you."

Ezreal snorted. "Well, I _do_ have a plan. It could be pretty risky, but I think it'll work."

Lux raised a hand. "If it involves more sewers, I'm vetoing it."

He waved her complain away. "Not at all, quite the opposite in fact."

"The opposite? Of walking through sewers?" I had no idea what that could be, but I felt a little twinge of trepidation. I somehow doubted I'd be very thrilled about this.

"The opposite of being _underground_." He explained. "Although, there's one thing we'll need first."

"What's that?" I asked, my trepidation rapidly growing.

"An airship!" He exclaimed.

"A _what?!_ " I knew Piltover had a few, some sort of hextech aircraft. I had no idea how we would go about acquiring one, they weren't common at all. Lux, on the other hand, looked thoughtful.

"Yes, an airship." He said again, as if it cleared everything up. " _And,_ I know where we can acquire one."

"You _do?_ " This time it was Lux who sounded surprised.

Ezreal ran a hand through his hair again as he grinned.

"Well, I know where one _is._ We just have to get around to the acquiring part."

"We're going to buy one?" I asked skeptically. I didn't know how much an airship cost but I highly doubted we'd be able to afford one.

"No, I suspect we wouldn't be able to." He opened his arms as if preparing to make some grand statement. "We're going to _borrow_ one. Without anyone knowing. That it was us, at least."

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." I said, taken aback. This was a little too much to take in right after my conversation with Lux. "You want us to _steal_ an airship?"

Lux, on the other hand, was laughing. Hard.

"Why not? It sounds fun!" She said, still laughing. "We're planning to overthrow a government, Riven. What's a little temporary appropriation of some transportation?" She made it sound so easy.

I groaned and put my head in my hands. "This is going to go _great._ I can tell already."

 **A/N: Sorry once again for the long wait between chapters, they'll keep coming out. Please leave a review! Some exciting things are coming up soon, and I'm looking forward to continuing and eventually completing this story.**


	10. Fight or Flight: Part 1

The next two weeks were a blur of activity, clandestine meetings, and constantly looking over my shoulder for signs of pursuit or surveillance. I was paranoid, with good reason, that at any moment Noxian commandos would be kicking in the door of the inn Lux and I were staying in. Despite my fears, several meetings were held with various members of what became known as "The Loyalists". Drax soon roped in a few of the other individuals I had been considering reaching out to, including Sera Cahl. Sera had been my bunk mate for my first year of service in the Noxian military. We had shared the hardships of being a recruit together, and I was pretty sure I could count on her. Along with Sera there was Rodger Harr, a former Sergeant in the Wolf Runners who had been dismissed from service for dubious charges of disrespect and failure to follow orders. It was a poorly kept secret that High Command had one or two members that possessed a score to settle with Rodger, and he was lucky to have gotten off so lightly. In any event, Rodger's disdain for the current leadership was a given.

There were several other individuals I had not heard of before as well, but they all held grudges. Amongst the many conversations I participated in while creating preliminary plans I heard many voice the opinion that The Noxus High Command had betrayed its people, that the corruption was sending the city state into a spiral of destitution, and the numerous ways in which the government had wronged whoever it was that happened to be doing the talking.

Not once did anyone mention the Ionian massacres.

I knew I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still stung. Noxian's weren't in the habit of extending sympathy towards those outside their inner circle. Even then, it was a rarity. Still, the people I met with certainly weren't in support of furthering hostilities. Many of them viewed the war as a useless drain on resources considering how the past few attempts of invasion had gone. The only time Ionia was mentioned was to hammer home the incompetence of the current regime.

 _It may not be sympathy._ I thought, as Sera made some gesture accompanying her current speech to the dozen odd people in the Wagon Wheel's back room, _but at least they aren't advocating invasion. It's a step up from what we have now._

It bothered me that nobody else seemed concerned with the huge loss of life the previous campaigns had caused. The only other Noxian who seemed to share my feelings in any capacity was Drax. He never voiced them, but we had shared a few glances during the meetings. He had been there too, after all, the day Noxus had murdered just about everyone I had known. Everyone I had cared for. He knew what it had been like.

"So, while we start a few riots in the southern quarter to draw out the palace guards, you and your team will infiltrate The Citadel and eliminate High Command?" A bearded, middle aged individual asked me from across the long table we were seated at.

Sera had apparently stopped speaking. She had short, raven colored hair that hung down over one eye. She and everybody else in the room turned to look at me, and I noted with a little discomfort the reverence in the gazes of the newcomers.

 _Lux was right again, they really do expect me to lead them._

It felt a little odd because I didn't consider myself qualified to be doing anything of the sort. Then again, after everything I'd been through I was an excellent fighter. That was no secret, and perhaps that was why they looked to me. I knew the appeal of wanting to have somebody to look to for answers. That was how I had been for my entire career in the military. There was something calming about the knowledge that those in leadership positions knew what they were doing, and that every action was part of some master strategy. I'd since become thoroughly disillusioned of the concept, but even I knew that maintaining it in this case was critical to our success.

"Yes." I replied with as much authority as I could muster. I stood up and placed my hands on the back of my chair. "My team is handpicked from some of the most skilled fighters from Valoran, and all a part of the League of Legends. We've been making these arrangements for some time, and are almost ready to strike. All members of the League are highly trained experts in the art of combat. We will crush the treacherous High Command."

It was mostly true. _Close enough_ , I reasoned.

A murmur of approval ran through the room. I sat back down, feeling a little foolish. Lux had advised me to keep my addresses short and to the point, which was completely fine by me. Even short speeches were an alien experience to me, however, and I was glad that the room was too dim for anyone to see my face flushed from nervousness. Still, it seemed to have worked.

Lux and I had come up with the initial idea together, and Drax had approved. Rallying the citizens to march against The Citadel (and the Noxian army) would have been next to impossible. Even if we had managed that, their defeat would have been assured against a far better armed and armored force. On the other hand, inciting riots was much more achievable. Rioters could disperse once the soldiers showed up, and even those who were captured wouldn't be killed (most likely). This accomplished two critical tasks for us: It allowed us to recruit more liberally from populace. More people were willing to riot than they would be to openly rebel. It also would create an opening. When the majority of the guards were sent out to quell the riots I would be able to slip in to The Citadel using Ezreal's outrageous plan. Following that, I would hunt down Swain and any other members of High Command present. With their removal, the city would be ours to seize.

 _Somewhere between when I met Lux and now, I actually began believing we could do it._

I wasn't sure when that moment had been, but after several meetings that left us with dozens upon dozens of volunteers and recruiters, I was beginning to think we had a real chance. The only question was how many of The Citadel's forces would be sent out to deal with the threat. We needed as big of a distraction as possible. I was confident I could defeat Swain, but I was less confident I could do so while being assaulted by dozens of armored knights.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. A dashing looking blond young man looked down towards me, and with a start I realized I was the only person still seated. Everybody else was filing out of the room, murmuring quietly to each other. There was a positive energy to the conversation.

"Come on, time to go." The man said, and I stood up to follow the small crowd.

"Riven." I looked back at the table. Sera was still seated, looking up at me with her dark eyes. "You can really do this, can't you."

"It's not a question of 'can'. It's one of necessity. Just as you must sometimes cut off a limb to save the body, we must carve out the disease that has corrupted Noxus."

Sera smiled. "You've changed in some ways, but you're exactly the same in others, Riven. You always were fiercely loyal."

"Loyalty that was misplaced for far too long." I replied. "We will restore our city."

She nodded, and I left the room.

* * *

"Well that was exciting!" Lux said, dispelling the illusion of the blond man with a wave of her hand "Was that the last one?"

I tried not to show a reaction to her sudden change in appearance, but probably failed. By now I knew Lux was a master of disguise and illusions, but the apparent ease with which she wielded such powerful magic was startling.

We were back in the inn we'd been staying at for the past two nights. Upon discussion, we'd decided against staying in one place for too long. The consequences of discovery were too dire to risk anything less.

"Yes, that was the last one." I said, dropping down onto one of the two beds in the small room. "We've picked out leaders and instigators, they're already starting to spread word and recruit. In a week or so, they'll be ready."

Lux sat down on her own bed, letting her legs swing freely off the side.

"After that, we just need to give a signal?" She asked.

"Yes, and I have an idea of how to do that." I replied. "There's a summoner in the Institute that I trust, at least somewhat. I may be able to convince him to help."

Lux shot me a look. "I didn't realize you had so many friends."

I snorted. "I don't. A soldier's life is war, their trade, death. Friendship is a luxury I can't afford."

I thought back to Katarina's words of a few weeks ago.

 _I can see it in your face, Exile, you just want revenge._

Despite Lux's reassurances the words still hung in the back of my mind like a poison, seeping into my thoughts.

I heard a soft sigh escape my companion across the room. I glanced over and was surprised to see Lux's head down, her blonde hair obscuring her face.

 _Her hair is so bright._

I'd wondered before if she used magic to enhance it somehow. But this wasn't the time for these thoughts.

"Ah, are you ok?" It was all I could think to say. I'd rarely seen my partner look downcast. Her default demeanor usually bordered between hyper and gleeful.

Lux didn't respond. I sat up, turning to face her across the small gap between our beds. The soft light of evening filtered through the small window behind me, illuminating Lux as if a spotlight lay fixed upon her.

I hesitantly reached out and grasped her shoulder. She glanced up at me, one eye still obscured by her hair.

"You don't have time for friends?" She sounded hurt.

It took me a moment to realize what she was talking about.

 _I hadn't meant it like that_.

At some point since I'd met her I'd gone from viewing Lux as something of a nuisance to a valued and reliable companion. This realization startled me, as it had been a long time since I'd been with anyone I could consider 'reliable', or whose company I actually enjoyed. But it was at this moment that I became sure of it: I enjoyed Lux's companionship. Her constant quips and positive attitude let me forget, for a few moments, the horrors of my past. I hadn't realized how much that meant to me.

 _Of course I realize this_ now. I thought, feeling like banging my head against the wall. _Am I really that insensitive?_

It occurred to me that several moments had passed without me responding. This wasn't helping.

"No, that's not what I meant." I said. I wasn't good at this kind of conversation, but I squeezed her shoulder in what I hoped was a reassuring manner.

"I spoke with haste, Lux, forgive me. You _are_ my friend. The first I've had in a long time. I'm still getting used to this. For the longest time I was stuck in the past, and it's only now I've been able to drag myself back to the present. I have you to thank for that, too."

She brushed her hair out of her face and raised her head, grinning again.

"Is the stoic, somber Riven actually bonding with me?" She raised her hand to feel my forehead, "Hmm, you feel fine, but I can't rule out illness yet."

I rolled my eyes and let go of her shoulder, leaning back. As I did, Lux grasped my hand.

"Really though, Riven. Thanks. You might not believe it, but being a spy doesn't allow many opportunities for relationships of any kind. So having you here..." Her voice trailed off, but I understood: Having someone there to watch your back, to share a laugh with, to rely on. It was a feeling that you couldn't appreciate until you lost it. I found myself thinking back to Fury Company, to the friends I'd once had. Their deaths had torn a hole in me, and I'd shied away from filling it for far too long.

"We both have shades in our past." I said, giving her hand a squeeze. Then I grinned back at her. "But we'll look out for each other now. We'll have to, with what we're planning."

She smiled at me and released my hand. The warmth of her touch lingered. It was comforting, in a way.

"So, where were you?" I asked, laying back down and propping my head up with one arm as I looked across at her. "You arrived at the meeting late today."

"I was in the streets, making sure we weren't followed. We can't be too careful."

I nodded. That was an understatement, to say the least.

"See anyone?"

"Not really. I thought I was being watched once or twice, but I didn't see anyone other than the standard city guards. Maybe I'm getting paranoid." She laughed. "It runs in the profession. Relaxed spies don't live very long."

"Even so, it's probably best we're leaving tomorrow. We shouldn't linger. As careful as we've been, I'd wager there are some people looking for us by now."

 _Katarina found me quickly enough, after all._

"Are we going back to the Institute, then?" Lux asked.

"Yes, I need to speak with the summoner I mentioned. The swordsman, Yasuo, too." My stomach tightened at the name, but I pushed away thoughts of the past. We needed everyone we could get. If Yasuo were half as skilled as his former master, he would be a formidable warrior.

"I should be able to secure us some supplies." Lux offered. "Demacia won't supply any troops or forces to as risky a venture as this, but I do have _some_ influence. It'll help, at least."

I nodded. I was sure that the Demacian government wouldn't mind Swain and his cohorts being suddenly and violently removed from their positions, but they couldn't help directly. Doing so would be political suicide for a city state priding itself for its justice and loyalty.

A soft pattering sound emanated from the window as rain began to fall, and I heard the rumble of distant thunder. Outside our door several footfalls in the hallway announced other guests returning to their rooms on the upper floors.

Lux stood up and strode past me and leaned her forehead against the cool glass. She peered out the small pane onto the street 3 stories below.

"After we get what we need from the Institute, all that's left is to meet Ez in Piltover." Lux said, her tone serious. "Are you sure you're ready?"

Ezreal had left two days prior after instructing us to meet him in Piltover in two weeks' time. Apparently he had to make some preparations for the airship he insisted we would be "borrowing". I still wasn't sure how confident I really was with the plan, but I didn't have an alternative and Lux seemed to be all for it. Approaching The Citadel from the air would most likely be the easiest way past most of the defenses, after all.

"I am." I replied, and then took a deep breath. I was about to elaborate, perhaps to confide in her the sense of foreboding that had been encroaching on my thoughts ever since we'd arrived in Noxus, when I noticed Lux's eyes narrow.

"What is it?" I asked, standing up and walking over to look out the window as well.

"That cloaked man out there." She nodded towards a figure standing in an alleyway on the other side of the street. He wore a brown cloak with the hood up, obscuring any notable features. "I saw him yesterday outside the Wagon Wheel."

I thought back, a feeling of anxiety creeping up my spine. Tons of people walked the streets of Noxus, but that cloak…

"Wasn't he outside the Poro's Palace last week when we met there?" I said slowly, struggling to recall.

Lux glanced sharply at me. "Was he?"

I shrugged, brow furrowed with concentration. "It's hard to keep track. Could it be a coincidence?"

"Not likely." Lux said, her voice dropping to a murmur. "I've found there's no such thing in this line of work."

I reached over to where it leaned against the wall and wrapped my hand around the hilt of my broken sword. Then it hit me. Alarmed, I looked over at Lux and found her staring wide eyed back at me. She'd realized too.

"Did you hear those footsteps walk up the next set of stairs?" She whispered. I shook my head. There were no other rooms on this floor of the inn. Which meant…

Lux and I both turned our heads to look at the door. It was plain wood with a simple lock and hinges on the inside. It wouldn't hold up to much force.

There was a soft creak of floorboards from the other side.

"Out the window, now." I hissed.

Lux nodded and swung the pane inward, letting in a brisk breeze and spray of rain. She swung her leg over the windowsill and, reaching up, began clambering up towards the roof.

 _They'll have the surrounding streets covered._ I thought, mind racing. _We'll have to get creative. If we can jump across a few buildings, we should be able to get away._

 _Bang!_

The door shuddered under a heavy impact, small cracks splintering outwards from its center. I was out of time. Leaning backwards out the window, I caught sight of Lux standing on the windowsill of a room directly above me. Fortunately, there was only one floor between us and the roof.

Just as I positioned myself to grab the ledge above me, the door to our room burst open with a loud _CRACK!_ And 4 Noxian Soldiers stormed into the interior, swords drawn. The lead one pointed at me with a gauntleted hand.

"Get her!"

 _Time to go!_

I leapt upwards and grabbed the windowsill, hauling my body skywards as if I were doing a pull up. Lux had just reached the roof, and I saw her turn around and extend a hand towards me.

"Hurry!"

 _No. Shit._

Just as I swung my leg onto the small ledge, one of my armored pursuers stuck his torso out through the window I had just escaped though. He glanced up at me and thrust a longsword towards my legs with a snarl.

I twisted out of the way and, in doing so, almost lost my footing on the slick and narrow ledge. As I reached out to steady myself my adversary's sword sliced a deep groove through the wood where my foot had been resting just a moment before.

 _I really don't have time for this!_

I swept my shattered great sword downwards in an arc, catching his weapon in the middle of the blade and wrenching it from the grip of my attacker. He cried out, ducking back inside the window as his sword fell 40 feet to the cobblestones below.

Momentarily safe, I reached up to take Lux's hand. Only it wasn't there. She was gone from the edge of the roof. Concern spiked through me as I jumped once more, swinging myself onto the gently sloping slats of the rain slicked roof. As I stood up, I immediately understood why my companion had vanished.

Six figures garbed in black robes stood in a loose semicircle on the rooftop, hoods up against the pouring rain. A wary Lux stood at their center, eyeing the group cautiously. She spun her baton from hand to hand and glanced back at me as I stepped up to join her.

"Looks like they brought friends." She said.

Six against two. Not great odds.

"Stay behind me." I replied, raising my blade and taking a step towards our foes. As one, each cloaked figure drew a long bladed dagger.

"Well aren't you the noble one."

 _Doesn't she ever run out of quips?_

I resolved to ask her later how she managed to joke at times like this. Besides, it made the most sense for the mage to stay at the rear where she could cast spells unmolested.

Lightning flashed overhead followed quickly by a crack of thunder that shook the roof. The bright light glinted off of the blades bared before me, and the man farthest to my left flinched from the sound. With no hesitation I leapt into action, sweeping my broken blade down and cleaving his weapon in half with a single strike before he could reset his guard. My opponent gasped, stumbling backwards in surprise and fear as he struggled to put distance between us. Seizing the advantage while I still had it, I spun around and kicked the assassin in the stomach sending him tumbling off the roof with a yelp.

Behind me Lux shouted something, and there was a bright flash of light. I turned to see another black clad figure thrown off of the roof by the force of a prismatic blast of energy that warped and cracked the air.

Then the other four were on us. Two of them came at me at once, daggers swinging. One aimed high at my head, while the other swung low. It was a classic maneuver designed to overpower an outnumbered opponent. Unfortunately for them, I was no ordinary warrior.

I concentrated on my blade, which responded by blasting a lance of ki energy into the stomach of the man on the left. He doubled over, momentarily dazed by the blow. Turning to face his partner, I ducked under the blow aimed for my head and spun my blade towards his chest. He nimbly dodged to the side, and I pursued.

 _These men are skilled. I need to end this quickly._

I followed through with a flurry of jabs. The assassin parried one strike, then two, as he backed away from me. With a yell I feinted right then swept my sword around to the left left, striking him on the head with the flat of the blade before he was able to react. He collapsed with a groan, his dagger falling from his hand and sliding away down the roof.

I spun around just in time to see the other figure, apparently having recovered, stabbing towards me with his weapon. With no time to block and too off-balance to dodge, I called upon the ki energy in my sword to form a barrier around me. I was just in time.

The dagger deflected off of the shimmering energy, angling away from my heart and slicing a gash on my left forearm as I spun away from the blow. I gritted my teeth as I felt the stinging pain lance up my side, but ignored it. With my left arm I grabbed the assassins wrist as he stabbed past me, yanking him off balance. As he stumbled forwards I pulled down sharply and brought my knee up, striking him squarely in the face. There was a burst of crimson and a sharp _crack_ as the impact shattered his nose. With a cry he collapsed, clutching at his face.

 _Lux!_

I spun around and dashed for my friend. Lux had dispatched a second enemy, leaving one standing. He had gotten in close to her, however, and was slowly forcing her to the edge of the roof with a series of quick stabs the mage was just able to parry.

"Yaaah!"

I charged forward and cannoned into her assailant from behind, knocking him off balance. Seizing the opportunity Lux spun her baton around and blasted him with another flash of light. He dropped to the ground without a sound, the smell of burnt flesh and hair rising from his body.

"Come on!" I yelled, grabbing Lux's hand and pulling her towards the far end of the roof. The adjacent building was both close and lower in height, we could make the jump.

Together we ran through the rain, leaping over the void as the ground dropped out beneath us. We hung in the air for a long moment, and then slammed into the flat wooden beams of the adjacent building's roof. I rolled with the impact, tucking my shoulder and springing to my feet.

Below in the street, a troop of 4 soldiers on horseback cantered around the corner and began pounding in our direction.

Lux followed my gaze, panting, as she hauled herself back to her feet.

"Horses." She gasped, pointing. "We can't fight them all."

She was right. Now that the garrison was alerted, the reinforcements wouldn't stop. We had to escape, and it would be far more difficult on foot.

"That building there!" I pointed to the next one over. It was a short house with a roof that sloped steeply almost all the way to the street. "We can slide down and ambush them!"

Breathing heavily from the exertion, we charged for the next gap. We were only halfway when something small and fast glinted in the flickering torchlight from the street below. Acting on instinct I dropped to my knees and skidded across the soaked rooftop as two daggers whizzed past overhead. I slid to a stop, Lux right beside me, as another cloaked figure resolved out of the darkness and rain, shadows whipping around him like mist. It was just light enough for me to see a razor thin smile curling on his lips from under his pointed hood.

I stood up, gripping my sword in two hands in front of me. Beside me, Lux readied her baton.

There was a clicking sound as our foe flexed his wrist. A long, wicked blade slid out from under his sleeve and extended out past his right hand. He drew a second dagger and then brought them up in an 'X', sliding them together. The sound of the steel on steel sent a shiver running down my spine.

"You aren't going anywhere, Exile." A hard voice, dark as the stormy night, emerged from him. "My sister seems to think you're a nuisance. I disagree. You're a threat."

I knew that voice. I'd heard it before, on the rare occasions where I had fought against him on the Fields of Justice. The legendary assassin and brother to Katarina Decouteau. Talon.

 _Does their whole family have it in for me?!_

I pushed the thought aside, there was no time. We had to get past him before more soldiers arrived.

"We're not a threat to anyone but the scum who run this city." I replied, leveling my blade at him. "But I'll defeat anyone who stands in my way."

My eyes met his, and from his gaze I knew there would be no running from this foe. With a deep breath, I charged.

 **A/N: It's back! Once again I apologize for the long wait. This story will be completed, and I'm hoping to get these chapters out a lot faster now. In fact, the next chapter is already written! I was going to release it all at once, but once it passed the 7,500 word mark I decided to split it into two chapters. It should be up by tomorrow, so don't forget to follow the story if you want to see the harrowing conclusion to our heroines escape from Noxus! Please remember to leave a review, all feedback is appreciated.**


	11. Fight or Flight: Part 2

My vision narrowed and my body pumped with combat induced adrenaline. There was no time to think. Tightening my grip on my weapon I sprang towards the assassin with an explosive leap, sword raised in challenge.

Talon sneered and, with a flick of his hand, disappeared in a puff of black smoke. I felt the whisper of displaced air behind me and whirled as the assassin appeared behind me, swinging his weapons with lightning speed. I spun on my heel parrying his first blow then let my ki barrier absorb the second, and followed up with a 3 part sword scale as his blades scraped past. I started high, swinging down in a quick overhand strike to the head. Talon dodged nimbly, rolling to the side as Lux shot a lance of energy that snapped past him. The assassin rolled to his feet, parrying the rest of my blows with apparent ease.

I pressed the attack, trying to overwhelm him with a ferocious series of swipes and jabs. I felt the thrill of battle well up from within me: a familiar feeling of the past. Combat made one feel _alive_ like nothing else. The adrenaline, speed, and stakes could be infatuating. I had thought I had progressed beyond my old vices, but despite myself I gave in to the feeling. I let the thrill flow through my body, guiding a series of blows towards my foe. My face split with a hellish grin as I pushed Talon back across the rain soaked roof.

The assassin snarled back at me, ducking away from a swing that would have decapitated him, and threw out his left hand. A series of daggers whirled by, one grazing my cheek as it hurtled past. I barely felt it, caught up in the battle as I was. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lux shielding herself from the assault with a barrier of prismatic light.

 _Lux…_

My vision cleared, and I halted mid step, the thrill draining away. That's right. We couldn't stay here. We had to escape. I wasn't on my own anymore; I had someone relying on me.

 _The last time people relied on me, they were all killed._

I shook the thought from my head violently. Things were different this time. I wouldn't kill for the thrill, and I wouldn't forget about Lux, Ezreal, Drax, or any of the people counting on me.

Seeing my hesitation, Talon lunged forward with unbelievable speed. Too late I realized I had dropped my guard. I brought my blade up to parry, belatedly twisting away from the lethal strike…

 _Pshhh!_

Lux charged in front of me, the twin blades of energy extended from her wrists as they had been during our training battle a few weeks prior. She crossed them, catching Talon's blade between hers as he stabbed towards me.

"Yiaah!"

Lux heaved upwards, deflecting the blow just enough for me to evade. Sweat dripped from my brow at the close call, mingling with the rain as I quickly regained my footing. Talon was not a foe to be trifled with.

The assassin cursed under his breath and slashed out at Lux, who was forced to retreat under his ferocious blows. She dodged one strike, two strikes, but the third one hit home. Lux cried out as the blade slashed across her thigh, and the wooden roof was spattered with a light shower of blood.

"Not this time!" The words came from deep within me. Some primal part of me welled up upon seeing her injured. I couldn't lose somebody else, not after everything that had happened.

 _I won't let you!_

Anger and resolve surged through my body like a physical force, strengthening my limbs and sharpening my vision. My blade pulsed with a bright green glow. I concentrated on it with all the strength I could. For one painful moment nothing happened, and then blast of energy swept from the hilt of my sword as the blade reformed, the runic shards coalescing into a weapon that transcended its former self. The blade pulsed with light, urging me to act.

"Hiyaaah!"

I leapt forward in front of Lux, between her and Talon, and swung with all my might. Talon brought his blade up to parry and I felt a sudden immense resistance as the blades clashed.

 _I won't give in._

I heaved with all my might and stepped into the swing. There was a flash of light and the earsplitting screech of metal scraping against metal, and then Talon's blade snapped in two. My sword sheered through his as if it were made of wood.

A look of shock and outrage crossed his face under the hood and before I could react, he disappeared once more.

I spun around, scanning the rooftop for my foe. Nothing. The rain was too thick, too loud, I couldn't see—

A hissing noise came from directly behind me, and I instinctively dove to the side. I tensed myself for the inevitable impact…

A barrier of light formed around me and Talon's thrown blades ricocheted off into the darkness. I rolled to my feet and glanced towards my companion. Lux was kneeling on the ground 10 feet away from me, hand outstretched as her baton flew back to her, face grimacing with pain from her wound.

 _There!_

A slight shimmer behind my companion alerted me to Talon's position. The assassin cursed again, swinging his blade down towards her exposed back as his form resolved from mist and shadow.

"Lux!"

With strength born of desperation I focused all of my willpower the blade held between my hands. I lifted it above my head and swung down in a vertical chop. The blade tugged on my grip as if caught in an invisible web, resisting the motion. I heaved harder, letting the energy build up on the sharpened steel.

When it finally became too much to bear I twisted my wrists sharply, releasing the built up force as a blast of wind that sheered across the roof towards the startled assassin. The wooden roof splintered and cracked as the wind slash blasted through it, the world briefly illuminated by the streak of green energy.

Caught between the edge of the roof and the slicing burst of energy streaking his way, Talon did the only thing he could: He leapt off the side of the building, cloak billowing in the stormy winds, and dropped out of sight. There was a flash of light and a loud _crack_ as the wind slash crashed through the place he'd been standing a moment before sending severed timbers tumbling 30 feet to the street below with a deafening crash.

I sprinted over to Lux and only narrowly avoided slipping on the dangerously slick timbers beneath me. I reached out, grasping for her arm and hauling the mage to her feet.

"We have to hurry, he'll be back soon. Are you alright?"

She nodded, clutching at her thigh with one hand. Crimson liquid seeped between her fingers. The wound appeared superficial, albeit painful.

"I'm fine." She took a staggering step towards the edge of the roof. Just one more jump to make. I hoped her leg was up to the task. "We have to move!"

I glanced back down at the street below. There was no sign of Talon, but the riders were almost upon us. We were out of time.

Together, we sprinted for the final gap. I sheathed my sword behind my shoulder as I ran; I'd need both hands free for this. Wind whistled and rain pelted the surface of the roof as we closed the distance, taking a running leap over the treacherous gap below.

 _Wham!_

Lux gave a muffled cry of pain and I gritted my teeth as we slammed into the steeply sloped tiles of the next roof over. I tucked one leg under me, leaving the other extended into the incline as I slid down the slick surface with frightening speed.

 _I'm going to have to time this_ just _right._

The riders were passing by on the street at a canter; it was going to be close. I leaned back, streamlining myself against the wind and willing my body to even greater speed.

One of the mounted warriors glanced up in our direction, and I saw her eyes widen with shock as I hurtled towards them.

 _Now!_

I tucked forward in a roll and jumped with all my strength just as the roof dropped out from beneath me, flying in a diving tackle directly at the woman atop the closest horse as she sped past in a blur.

A spike of pain lanced through my shoulder as I impacted on the warrior at an incredible speed. It felt like I'd sprinted right into a brick wall, but it did the trick. With a surprised cry of shock and pain the woman dropped her sword and together we crashed heavily to the hard cobblestone street, her horse rearing in fear.

I twisted in the air, landing on top of the soldier with a knee on her chest. The dark haired woman let out a _whoosh_ as the impact drove the air from her lungs, and I heard the _crack_ of a bone breaking as my knee drove into her ribs. Reflexes born of years of training had taken over, and with lightning quickness I drew the dagger hidden in my right boot. Reversing the grip so that the blade pointed downwards, I stabbed towards the exposed throat.

 _An Ionian soldier, eyes wide with fear as I cleaved through his shield on a hellish battlefield. A mage garbed in blue robes, collapsing without a sound as I plunged a dagger through her heart before she could complete her spell. The stench of blood as I withdrew my blade from countless twisted corpses._

Images, sounds, and smells all flashed through my mind in an instant as I stared into the wide, terrified eyes of the woman below me. I froze, dagger inches from her neck as my muscles seized up.

 _Why?!_ I thought desperately. _Why can't I do it? It's different this time!_ A hundred conflicting emotions coursed through me: Fear, repulsion, anger, desperation, resolve. _It's not the same!_

The woman gasped for air, tears of pain welling in her eyes.

 _Is it so different?_ I thought, looking down at her. _After all the blood I've spilled, can I really justify taking another life just to save mine?_

As I stared down at the fear stricken face of the soldier pinned beneath me, one thought echoed through my mind: _What am I doing?_

This wasn't the League of Legends, where death was merely a temporary inconvenience. This was a living, breathing person. A fellow Noxian warrior.

In that critical moment I hesitated, torn between the cause I was fighting for and repulsion of my own gruesome past. The battlefield was no place for such distractions, and I paid the price of my uncertainty.

In that single moment of inaction, the soldier beneath me drew a knife from her belt and, in one fluid motion, plunged it into the side of my chest. Blinding pain spiked through me as the steel bit into me and I felt a scraping sensation as the blade deflected off a rib. I gasped, eyes watering with the pain, and twisted free of her blade while bringing the pommel of my own dagger down on her temple. There was a solid _thunk_ and her eyes glazed over as she fell into unconsciousness.

I stood up and staggered over to the now rider less horse I had tackled the soldier off of. My chest throbbed with pain as I swung my leg over the saddle, but the wound didn't appear to be immediately life threatening. First aid would have to wait.

Lux cantered up beside me and I saw a motionless body lying in the street ten yards back, a crimson pool slowly spreading around his collapsed form. Blood still stained the armor around her thigh, but apart from that she seemed relatively unharmed.

 _She's more capable than me, at least._ I thought with disgust, holding my side with my offhand as I gripped the reigns and urged the horse forward. We had to get away before the other two riders got over their surprise and gave chase.

"Riven-" Lux began, a look of concern crossing her face as she saw me clutching at my chest.

"I'm fine!" I cut her off. "Follow me! We have to get out of the city!"

She hesitated, and then nodded sharply. Together we galloped through the mostly empty streets, rain pooling in the gutters. As we flew past a series of small storefronts, I heard horns blaring in the distance.

"They've sounded the alarm!" Lux shouted from beside me.

"I know!" I called back, teeth gritted against the pain in my side. Every bounce of the saddle sent a fresh jolt of agony through the wound. "They'll be closing the gate. Can you stop them?"

"I'll do my best!" She shouted as a fresh bolt of lightning split the sky above The Citadel. "Just take care of anybody in our way!"

"Will do!"

We rounded a bend in the road and hurtled towards the outer wall of the city. Ahead I could see the main gate, and elation filled me as I saw the portcullis was only a quarter of the way lowered.

 _We still have time!_

There was another problem though: A line of spearmen crouched in our way, pikes planted as if to repel a line of charging cavalry. Atop the wall above the gate, several men worked the winch lowering the barrier as archers readied crossbows.

Beside me I heard Lux begin speaking an incantation, and a warm glow began enveloping her baton.

Fear fought to well up in me, but I pushed it aside. Several months ago I would have called this situation hopeless, but things were different now. I had a partner, one that I could rely on.

One that I trusted.

Any lingering reservations I might have had about my companion vanished in that moment amidst the pouring rain and galloping hooves as we charged the enemy line. I put my faith in her skill, spirit, and resolve.

Ignoring the archers on the wall, I focused on the spearmen lined up 30 yards ahead. Reaching back over my shoulder I drew my blade, spurring my mount ahead of Lux's. The sword pulsed with a green energy, its full form beginning to flicker as its power waned.

 _Not yet._ I thought, pouring my energy into the enchantment. _Hang in there just a little longer!_

I stood in the stirrups, one hand gripping the horse's mane as I swept the sword out in an arc in front of me with a roar of defiance. I felt the familiar tugging sensation as the energy built along the blade, and then the wind slash leapt outwards towards the line of soldiers. At the last moment I shifted my aim, releasing the energy in a downward arc to strike at the cobblestone street beneath their feet. There was a series of cracking sounds as the street buckled and cracked with the blast, sending the spearman stumbling and crashing to the ground as their formation disintegrated into a mass of tangled bodies. The few that remained standing just managed to dive out of the way as our horses careened through the gap at a full gallop.

My sword flickered and the full blade dissipated, the green runic energy rapidly fading away. My vision swam as I sat down heavily in the saddle, swaying at the immense exertion. It had taken everything I'd had to summon a second wind blast that powerful, and it was all I could do to remain mounted. The rest was up to Lux.

Behind me, I heard Lux's voice rise in volume to a shout as she finished her incantation. There was a blinding flash of light above me and a searing heat as a five foot diameter beam of cohesive light blasted through the air above me, slamming into the wall atop the gate. The archers cried out in panic and scrambled aside as the explosive burst of energy rattled the wall, cracking the stone and sending masonry falling in a cascade of dust and stone. The portcullis halted in its descent, only a third of the way closed.

 _She did it!_

Together we rushed through the gap, galloping across the drawbridge and onto the plains outside the city. Several wild arrows were loosed our way, but they were poorly aimed and none fell within 5 yards of me. I took a deep, shuddering breath as we turned onto the western road leading towards the Institute of War, rushing away from the city at breakneck speed. As the adrenaline slowly faded, the sharp pain in my side and arm returned. We would have to see to our wounds as soon as we put some distance between us and the city. I glanced behind me to verify Lux was still with me, and then turned my attention to the path ahead.

After a few minutes, I turned off the road into a small copse of trees. I led us in far enough to be out of sight of the path and then pulled my mount to a standstill, looking back at Lux. In the dim light of the evening storm I could see her small frame hunched over the saddle, chest heaving. Her baton still flickered slightly with a pulsating light, and I marveled at the immense arcane power she commanded.

 _We wouldn't have made it out without her._

"Nice work with the gate." I told her, dismounting onto the damp earth beneath the shifting canopy of leaves. My side protested the motion with a new lance of pain. "Let's see to our injuries, and then be on our way before anyone can organize a hunting party."

Lux didn't respond, and as I took a closer look I saw her eyes were unfocused, hands still gripping the reigns tightly.

"Lux?" I asked with concern, stepping closer.

My companion swayed in her saddle and then slid off the side, collapsing to the ground with a soft thump.

"Lux!" I shouted, running over and kneeling beside her. With horror, I saw the arrow shaft protruding from her back. It had pierced through her shoulder, the tip of the arrow emerging from her front and glinting in the dim light. Years of combat experience had taught me a thing or two about battlefield medicine and I leaned closer inspecting the wound, using one hand to prop her head up.

The arrow had punched straight through her, but it seemed like it had missed any major organs or blood vessels. If it hadn't, she'd already be dead. Lux mumbled something indecipherable, her head lolling in my grasp.

 _There's something wrong._ I thought, taking a hand and feeling her forehead. She was hot to the touch. My eyes narrowed and I leaned closer, sniffing the tip of the arrow. A familiar sickly sweet scent rose up from the cool metal.

 _Poison!_

Hunters arrow, it had to be. I'd seen it used before. It usually resulted in a slow, agonizing death. Luckily the arrow tip had passed through and exited Lux's body instead of becoming lodged in her back. There couldn't be much of it in her system. But even a little…

 _I need to get her to the Institute as soon as possible!_

"I'm sorry Lux, but this is going to hurt. A lot." I said while looking down at the shaft sticking out of her shoulder. I had to remove it, or every time the tip rubbed against the wound it would work more of the poison into her. Once again I was relieved that the arrow had passed through her; it made the process of removing it much easier.

I pulled the mage up into a sitting position and, in one motion, snapped the shaft in two. Lux's eyes cleared as she gasped in pain, and before she could react I had pulled both halves of the arrow out from her shoulder. I tossed them way, reaching into my pack for the roll of bandages I kept for emergencies.

 _After this, I need to stop my own bleeding._ I was starting to feel light headed. The wound in my arm was light, but the one in my chest could kill me if I didn't see to it soon.

"Ri...en." Lux gasped as she shuddered in my grasp, her breath coming light and fast. A line of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.

"It'll be ok." I told her, wrapping the wound tightly. Warm, red blood began soaking through the bandages almost immediately, and I applied another layer.

"You… you didn't…." She gasped for air. "kill… them…"

"What?" I asked, not sure I had heard correctly.

"Those… Noxian soldiers…"

"No." I whispered, wrapping a third layer around her. "I couldn't."

"You're…. a better…. person…. than I…. am."

As I struggled to think of a response her eyes rolled upwards, and she passed out in my arms. Now wasn't the time to get distracted, so I pushed all other thoughts out of my mind and set her down gently. Working as quickly as I dared, I finished dressing the wound.

 _Now for mine._

I hurriedly cleaned and bandaged the wound on my chest, and then my arm. It was a sloppy job that anyone in Fury Company would have reprimanded me for, but I didn't have time to do it right. Lux's life was on the line. I had to get her to the healers at the Institute before the poison worked its way through her body. My side still felt like someone had stuck a burning coal inside of me, but it was more manageable now.

 _Please let me be in time._ I thought while hauling Lux into the saddle. I climbed up behind her, wrapped my good arm around her to hold her steady, and gripped the reigns in my off hand. The horse snorted in protest at the extra weight, but it would have to live with it. I kicked the mount into motion and guided it back to the road at a trot. As we moved through the darkening trees Lux's head rolled back against my shoulder, her breathing light and rapid.

 _I can't lose someone else. Not now. Not ever again._

I wouldn't let that happen.

 **A/N: Our intrepid heroines have escaped a terrible fate in fleeing from the Noxian ambush, but now Lux's life hangs by a thread. Will Riven find aid in time, or will she be too late? What of her own injuries? Now that The Exile has finally found a trusted companion in Lux, how far will she go to secure her safety? Find out in the next chapter! If you are enjoying this work or have feedback of any kind, please leave a review!**


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